Opposites Attract
by Alanna
Summary: "Obviously this boy was somebody, a popular person, someone who would never notice wallflower Lily Evans. Lily sighed, trying to shrink into the wall." Veering between romantic, dark, and lighthearted, this the classic love story of Lily and James -- wi


Opposites Attract ****

Opposites Attract

By Alanna

**__**

"Hey, James!" 

"Sirius! My old friend!" The two boys grinned at each other. "Long time no see!"

"James! Hi!"

"What's up, James?"

Amidst the crowd on the train, one girl stood off to the side, a fly on the wall, trying to smooth down her bushy red hair and to make her mouth less sharp. Obviously this boy was _somebody_, a popular person, someone who would never notice wallflower Lily Evans. Lily sighed, trying to shrink into the wall.

_Introduce yourself._

Do you think I'm nuts?

At least find out who he is.

"Excuse me?" Lily tapped a tall, pretty brunette on the shoulder, fully aware of how idiotic she must look. "Do you know who that boy is?"

"Which boy?" There was a bit of coolness in the other girl's tone.

"The one over there – black hair." _The one everybody seems to know, _she thought._ The one everybody's talking to. The one who's the center of attention._

"Oh." The timbre of her voice changed, became frosty instead of cool, a _savoir-faire_ type voice. "**That's** James Potter."

_Thanks ever so for ALL the information,_ Lily thought. Aloud, she said, "Thanks," and retreated to her compartment with the newly published "20th Edition" copy of Hogwarts: A History.

A few minutes later, James's friend (what was his name? Scott?) meandered in and sat down beside her.

"What're you reading?" he asked in an over-friendly tone. 

"Hogwarts: a History," Lily answered, and buried her nose in the book again.

"God, that's THICK! You have too much time on your hands, you know that?"

Something about the tone of his voice sounded familiar.

"You know who I am, right?" the boy asked, this time less syrupy.

"Um… I know I've met you before, but… I'm not remembering very well." Lily's cheeks flushed to match her hair. _I must sound like the world's biggest idiot,_ she thought.

"Sirius Black? Remember me?"

"Oh, you! Hi!"

"It's Lily, right?"

"Yeah."

"Lilyaña." He offered her a jellybean. "Here. Try it." Something in his eye was devious. "Come on, they're good! I dare you."

"I don't take –" she started to say. _Come on, just this once._

"Don't take dares?"

"No… no. I'll try it." She popped the teal bean into her mouth and began choking. "Ew! That's **abominable**!"

"I didn't mean it!" 

"Sure sounded like you did." 

"How about another… Lilyaña…"

"Go jump in a lake," she said spitefully.

"As you wish." He gave a deep, mocking bow and strode out of the compartment.

Lily began giggling in spite of herself. "He makes me so _mad!_" she muttered, but couldn't put any force behind the words. Still snickering, she re-opened Hogwarts: A History and let her mind wander back to the page.

She must have dozed off, as she awoke with a jolt when the train stopped. Her heart fluttered like a trapped bird. She was just a Muggle-born girl, not ready for this, not ready for witchcraft – Lily took a deep breath, tried to settle her churning stomach, and took her first step into the world of Hogwarts.

As she stepped off of the train, drops of rain fell onto her frizzy red hair. She must have slept through the storm. "Oh, yuck," she muttered, then realized she had no idea where to go, and finally decided to follow an older student who looked like she knew what she was doing.

She was halfway along the path when a booming voice cried, "Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" Beet red, Lily grabbed her luggage and began dragging it back along the path. When she had almost reached the other first-years, she tripped on the hem of her robes and landed flat on her face in the mud.

Lily rejoined the group amidst snickers and catcalls. "Way to go, Lilyaña!" Sirius roared. She stuck her tongue out at him in return, wishing that she had purchased that copy of Friendly Curses to Get Revenge at Flourish and Blotts.

Covered in slimy mud from head to foot, Lily made her way up to the castle fully aware of all of the pointing and laughing that were going on. She was too embarrassed even to be nervous as the huge castle doors opened.

"Good evening," said a thin, severe-looking witch of about thirty-five. "I'm Professor McGonagall. Some of you might recognize my name; I sent you your Hogwarts Letters. There will be a quick break to freshen up before you proceed to the feast in the Great Hall, which will begin –" Her eye fell on Lily. "Oh, dear," she muttered. "_Emundo!_"

Lily gaped as the better part of the mud vanished from her robes and face. It was one thing to think about magic, and quite another to see it suddenly appear in front of you.

"Thanks," she whispered, then joined the group in filing towards the Great Hall. 

Lily listened half-heartedly as a hat sang a long song about the different Houses. Honestly, she thought, if everyone bothered to read Hogwarts: A History we wouldn't have to deal with this nonsense, she thought. Instead, she gazed about her new surroundings. The ceiling, she noted in approval, was living up to its reputation and was studded with silver stars on a rich blue background. A glimmer in the corner represented the setting sun. Four tables were arranged in a square, with one larger table elevated about a foot off of the ground. Soft lights glowed in the corners of the room, and torches were scattered around the walls… Lily's reverie was terminated with a jolt as Professor McGonagall began reading off names.

"Aaron, Hanneli!"

A nervous-looking girl with two thin braids wobbled up and pulled on the hat. There was a hesitation and then the word "GRYFFINDOR" echoed thorough the Hall.

Lily frowned in disapproval. Looks more like a Hufflepuff to me, she thought critically, eyeing the girl. I always thought Gryffindors were bold, swashbuckling types.

"Anders, Chris!"

"Hufflepuff!"

Now _there's_ a Hufflepuff if I ever saw one, Lily thought. The boy's blonde hair and cherubic face gave him a slightly silly appearance, and he grinned rather stupidly as he took his seat at the Hufflepuff table.

"Barnaby, Elise!"

"Slytherin!"

Slytherin? Elise looked far too quiet and mousy. How on earth could she have fitted the description of "cunning, harsh, and ruthless" given by the hat?

"Black, Sirius!"

The hat hesitated for a moment before yelling, "GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius's grin was a mile wide as he sat down amongst cheers. Lily was smiling as well, happy for her friend.

"Cardotta, Sara…" then "Dobbs, Benjamin…" and "Etherington, Marshall…" Lily fidgeted until Professor McGonagall called, "Evans, Lily!"

Lily concentrated on not falling again as she walked unsteadily to the front, feeling a whole colony of butterflies take up residence in her stomach. The hat was far too large, and she was fully aware of how idiotic she must look with it draped over her eyes and nose, coming to rest directly above her mouth. "Hmm…" a sonorous voice muttered in her ear. "I don't think you'd fit in Hufflepuff. Not the type at all. Certainly brainy enough for Ravenclaw…but there's something more. You've got great potential, my dear, great potential… I'd bet you'll hardly recognize your seventh-year self now… hmm… yes, great potential…" The hat's mind was obviously wandering. "Yes, I think **_GRYFFINDOR_** might be the place for you."

And then Professor McGonagall was tugging the hat off of Lily's head and hollering, "Finch, Molly!" and Lily was staggering towards the Gryffindor table, and Sirius was cheering the loudest. "You look _frightfully_ brainy," a second-year girl said, not unkindly. "I 'spect you'll earn us simply _loads_ of points."

Although the tone was friendly, something in it turned Lily's insides to ice. Already being judged? "I'm not all that smart as you think," she answered, trying to duplicate the girl's carefree and amiable tone. "'Fraid you'll be stuck with what points you _earn_."

"Ah, don't listen to her," Sirius said conspiratorially. "Lilyaña's IQ is sky-high."

As soon as Sirius was distracted, the second-year whispered, "You know him?"

"Er – we went to a Muggle summer camp together for a few years…I think he's a half-blood… one of the few 'popular' people who knows that I possess a brain…"

"Was he _always_ like this?"

"Silly and annoying, you mean?" Lily asked, rather sharply.

"No… so CUTE and FUNNY!"

"Are we talking about the same boy?"

The second-year's snort was interrupted by Professor McGonagall's yell of "Gardener, Evelyn!" and the girl who had informed Lily of James's name minced forward.

The Hat took a long time on her. "GRYFFINDOR!" it finally yelled, and Evelyn sat down next to her friend Ann Fitzgerald, who had already been Sorted.

Lily's mind started drifting off, and her daydreams were only interrupted by Professor McGonagall's shout of "Potter, James!" and Sirius's whispered chant of, "Please, please, please, Gryffindor, please, please, Gryffindor, c'mon, Gryffindor, c'mon, you stupid old hat, Gryffindor…"

Sirius needn't have worried. The hat had hardly touched James Potter's head before "GRYFFINDOR!" resounded throughout the hall. Sirius jumped up and cheered hysterically. "ALL RIGHT, POTTER!" he yelled, high-fiving James as he sat down. "ALL RIGHT!"

Lily couldn't help but grin at his antics.

"ALL RIGHT!" Sirius yelled again. "Eh, Lilyaña?"

"Shut up and quit bothering me," the girl muttered irascibly. Boys were **_so_** aggravating.

* * *

The feast passed, and Lily and the other Gryffindors finally stumbled up to the dormitory at nearly midnight, full of everything from apple pie to ziti, very tired, and looking forward to the year to come. After half-hearing the password, Lily waddled into the girls' dormitory, stopping to gape. Each bed was a large canopy, painted attractively white with gauzy curtains for privacy. The beds had spacious night tables, with a smoked-glass ball about the size of a small bowling ball sitting on them. A card with "Instructions for Lighting the Sof-Glo Lamps" sat beside each ball. 

"To light, tap once with wand and say, "Lumos!" The light is turned off by 'Finis!' Thank you and have a nice day," Lily read. Yawning, she changed into her nightdress and climbed into the soft bed. "Can we turn out the light now? Please?" she asked tiredly.

Evelyn and Ann snorted, but Juliet Sinistra got up and muttered, "Nox!" 

"Thanks." Lily turned on her Sof-Glo, which gave off a glow bright enough to read by but not too bright so that it awoke the other girls. She managed to read a page of Hogwarts: A History before her eyes snapped shut.

Fragments of conversation drifted into her sluggish mind:

"James Potter is sooo hot!"

"Yeah, but Sirius is cuter."

"I kind of like Chris Anders – strong, silent type."

"That Hanneli…"

The next thing Lily knew, the sun was shining in her window and Evelyn and Ann were rising. Juliet was already awake, practicing simple spells with her wand.

"Get dressed! Quick! You only have forty-five minutes! And trust me, you'll need your strength – DON'T miss breakfast!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Lily said in mock obedience, and scuttled into the bathroom.

It was a pleasant surprise to find the water perfumed very lightly of flowers, and automatically a lovely warm temperature. Shampoo wasn't needed, and when Juliet muttered "_Exaresco!"_ the hair dried instantly.

Lily pulled on black crêpe robes (for "special occasions," her mother had said) and ran down to the Great Hall. She overheard snatches of conversation while digging in to a sumptuous breakfast:

"First flying lesson…."

"Required Quidditch…? I don't think so!"

"That first-year Quidditch rule is sooo unfair!"

"Quidditch?" Lily asked Juliet after hearing the word nearly a dozen times.

"It's this game with four balls and six hoops, played on broomsticks… pretty confusing. My brother Alex is just wild about it. I never can tell why."

"Flying lesson?"

"Don't look so airsick. It's not that bad. The school brooms are dreadful, but that won't kill you!"

"Is it _awfully _scary?" Hanneli asked. "I don't like heights."

"You hardly notice. Anyway, you fly about 5 feet off of the ground."

"Phew. Had me worried there." Hanneli turned back to her orange juice with a friendly laugh.

Evelyn was about to make a nasty comment but was interrupted by Molly Smith, a third-year, calling, "First year timetables!"

Lily grabbed hers, and read:

Flying OR Charms: 8:30 (Flying) or 8:45 (Charms)

Potions: 9:30

Defense Against the Dark Arts: 10:25

Transfiguration: 11:20

Lunch: 12:10

Herbology: 1:00

Astronomy: 1:55

History of Magic: 2:50

Magical Theory, Etc.: 3:20

"Looks disgustingly busy." Juliet finished her apple juice and joined Lily on their way outside.

"Not horrible. Sounds interesting, at least."

The flying didn't go very well. James Potter was the only one who made it look easy. The other boys were decent flyers, but the girls didn't fare so well. Juliet was bored, as well as Ann. Evelyn was prim, Hanneli was terrified, and Lily was frustrated.

But by the end of the day, attitudes changed. Although there was much good-natured groaning about the "old grind" from each student, the classes were interesting and the homework was almost ridiculously simple. Lily wrote an extra-long essay for Professor McGonagall on Magical Theory in Transfiguration (a whole roll of parchment longer than the requirement), earning an incredulous stare from Sirius, and then retired early.

By the second week, Lily had earned respect from every teacher except for Madam Hooch, but the students regarded her (except for Juliet) as source of answers. Of all of the Gryffindors, no one was funnier than Sirius or James, as kind as Lupin, or as snobbish as Evelyn. James Potter had taken to following the latter around with a lovesick gaze on his face, which annoyed Sirius to no end. 

Lily bought a wizarding camera on her first Hogsmeade visit [the age limit was not set until Voldemort's Reign of Terror], and spent quite a while taking pictures, knowing that her overprotective mother would want to see her daughter's living quarters.

_Sirius Black – remember him? _she wrote under one picture. _His best friend James, AKA Mr. Popular,_ was the caption of another. _Sirius is nicer!!!!!!_ she wrote when her younger sister Petunia asked "if James was nice." _Juliet Sinistra, my best friend_, was scribbled under the picture of Juliet eating pancakes._ EVELYN LIKES James!!!!_ she printed under a picture of Evelyn smiling seductively at him. Ann putting on makeup, the Great Hall, Dumbledore speaking… the photos were a "fabulous Christmas present," her mother wrote. "And we loved the chocolate frogs." 

Even her professors were admiring. "Wow, Lily, these are really good," Professor Hemlock remarked. "Fantastic!'' Flitwick squeaked. But the best praise of all came from Dumbledore himself. "Excellent. Really quite excellent. You've really got the flavor of Hogwarts in these," he commented before pasting copies onto his wall. 

Hogwarts made the transition into the new year smoothly, with revelry and a giant feast. Most first-years went home for Christmas, so Juliet and Lily had the dormitory to themselves. Sirius and James were the only remaining boys, as Lupin was ill most of the time. 

"So, what do you think of James?" Juliet asked during one of their late-night chats. 

"What do you mean, what do I think of him?" Lily thought that she caught some innuendo in Juliet's innocent-sounding question. "Like, do I like him, or do I LIKE like him, or what?"

"Do you LIKE him," Juliet said with an exasperated sigh.

"No!" Lily almost fell off of the bed, she was laughing so hard. "NO! God! He's funny – I guess, and decent enough, but… NO!"

"Good," Juliet said with a sigh, looking very relieved.

Lily pounced on the sigh. "YOU don't like him, do you?"

"No! Oh, no, no, no I don't." 

"Well, who told you I did? Huh?" Lily asked.

"Lil, have you ever thought of going into journalism?"

"Don't change the subject!"

"Sirius." Juliet's face took on a crimson tone. 

"Ooh, SIRIUS!" Lily said teasingly, and was amazed when Juliet replied, "Keep your voice down, would you?"

"You like him, don't you?"

"Sure I like him." Juliet's face had faded to pale pink. "What's not to like? He's kind, and funny, and sweet…"

The last adjective was her undoing. "Sweet? Sirius?" Lily threw back her head and laughed hysterically. "Do you really think so? You _like_ him!"

"All right!" Juliet replied angrily. "So I like him! So what?"

"Aw, Julie, I was just kidding," the girl muttered. Then the truth of what she said struck her. "That is so sweet! You two are perfect for each other!"

Juliet threw a pillow at Lily. Professor McGonagall chose that time to poke her head in and yell, "Girls! What is going on in here? It's nearly midnight!"

"Sorry, Professor," they muttered sheepishly. "You two have **got** to get together!" Lily added in a whisper.

"Shut up!"

"You shut up!"

"I won't shut up!"

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!" came a yell from the boys' dormitory. Lily and Juliet looked at each other, then broke into unstoppable giggles.

* * *

__

May 18, 1963

Dear Lily,

Happy birthday! I hope you are having a splendiferous day. I'm mailing this early, really, these owls are marvelous. You should get it by evening, I hope. (Your father did the calculations, I'm not sure if he's accurate. Is 849 kilometers-per-hour impossible for wizarding owls?)

Thank you very much for the recent batch of photos! Hogwarts looks like a lovely place to live. We especially enjoyed the ones of Sirius – is he always in those positions, or did you just capture him at rare moments? Juliet looks like a nice girl. Tell her hello, and we hope we can meet her sometime.

Lily, dear, could you really consider coming home for Christmas and Easter next year? We all miss you very much, especially Petunia. I'm afraid to say that she isn't excelling in all of her classes, although she continues to be proficient in math. Her teacher says that she "isn't working up to her potential." I think she misses giggling with you at night. She has also started a cooking class.. She made oatmeal last week, and it was very viscous and not at all appetizing. She insisted that we send you a bowl. I think that your owl "accidentally" tipped it over. 

We've enclosed some Muggle money. I'm assuming that there's a Gringotts in Hogsmeade for you to change it at. As for the rest of your presents, I have no urge to be so revealing. You'll just have to find that out later.

Continue to excel in your studies. We love you, honey, and we miss you very much!

Lots of love,

Mum, Dad, and Petunia

* * *

May 18, 1963

Dear Lily,

Just sending birthday wishes, and hopes you'll demonstrate some magic for you when you get home.

Love,

Grandma (Momsmom)

****

21 June 1963

__

LILY –STOP—

DELIGHTED TO HEAR OF YOUR EXAM RESULTS –STOP- PROUD TO HAVE SUCH A SMART DAUGHTER –STOP—CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU NEXT WEEK –STOP—THREE O'CLOCK TRAIN TO KINGS CROSS—STOP—LOVE YOU –STOP—DAD –FULL STOP—

****

"And another mail for Lily Evans!" Sirius shouted. "Got to watch it, your boyfriend'll be jealous…"

"Don't be an idiot, Sirius, I don't have a boyfriend!" Lily snapped good-naturedly. "How much does it take to bang that into your thick head?"

Sirius half-opened his mouth. "Wait," Lily said. "Don't tell me – not sure I want to know…" The end of the school year was near, and all of the first-years were letting off superhuman energy. 

"THE EXAM RESULTS ARE IN!" Remus Lupin started screaming. "WE ALL PASSED! EVERY BLOOMIN' ONE OF US!"

"Crikey!" James yelled, jumping feet into the air.

"Aw, what did you have to worry about, James, you always get full marks," Evelyn said teasingly. Lily made a gagging motion behind her hand. "FLIRT!" she mouthed. Juliet nodded.

A flushed Professor McGonagall came in; she looked as if ten thousand students had all descended on her at the same time and proceeded to hug her enthusiastically. Her glasses were askew; her bun was letting go of a few hairs. "Congratulations, first-years!" she said cheerfully. "Really, it's been years since we had such good marks. House average of 89%, and your class averaged 95! This is fantastic! I think it's time for a celebration."

_Polyjuice potion?_ Lily scribbled on a piece of paper.

"Not likely," Juliet whispered back. "I think she just got a good night's sleep and ate way too much sugar!"

"I've spoken to Dumbledore," McGonagall continued, "and he agrees with me. So tonight there will be a Gryffindor-only trip to Hogsmeade!" Cheers rocked the common room. "We'd best get going," she added, sounding more like herself. "We'll have lunch at the Hog's Head, and after that, you're free!"

Lily and Juliet began hugging each other enthusiastically. Sirius picked up Juliet and began whirling her around the common room, then grabbed Lily and did the same thing. James looked a little removed from all the revelry, as if hyperactivity was below him. 

"Aw, c'mon, James, join the fun!" Evelyn wheedled. She grabbed James's hands and began to dance with him around.

"FLIRT!" Lily whispered. 

"FLIRT!" Juliet replied.

Then all flirting was forgotten in the haste to change into lightweight summer robes, collect money, brush hair, and celebrate the trip to Hogsmeade.

* * *

Almost before Lily knew it, the trip to Hogsmeade – and the term – was finished, and she was standing on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters again.

"Well, I guess it's time," Juliet said heavily, and then a small, red, projectile hairball ran up and hugged Lily.

"LILY!" Petunia squealed, and threw her arms around her sister.

"Hi, Petunia! Mum! Dad!" It took almost a minute for Lily to remember her manners. "Oh—this is Juliet Sinistra. Juliet, this is my mum, Zinnia Evans, and this is my dad, Matthew Evans."

"Hello, Mrs. Evans. Nice meeting you, Mr. Evans." Courtesies were exchanged, and then Juliet and Lily parted for the summer.

"And James, he –"

"And James," her mother corrected gently. "James is his own subject. No 'he' is necessary. Now, what about James?" Lily rolled her eyes. She'd forgotten about her mother's annoying grammar penchant.

"And Sirius, and we all went to Hogsmeade…"

"Full marks on my Charms exam! Professor Flitwick wants to tutor me privately next year, and we're getting a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, her name is Professor Kerli, and she seemed really nice, and she's really good at Charms, maybe she can tutor me…"

It was a long, lazy summer, filled with trips to the ice cream shop and the swimming pool, three nights abroad in France, owl-mail from Juliet, mostly about Sirius, and finally the arrival of Lily's second Hogwarts letter.

She hadn't told anyone, especially not her parents (who were delighted to see her again) or her sister (who didn't let Lily out of her sight) or her Muggle friends (who were politely distant), not even Juliet, but she was missing Hogwarts. There was nothing like spending a whole year of your life with people like you, getting to know them, becoming close, and then separating from them for nearly three months. By the end of July, Lily was yearning to sleep in her "own" comfortable bed in the girls' dormitory, to get mail by owl every morning, and especially to be separated from Petunia, who was becoming extremely jealous of Lily's magical abilities. 

Taking the train from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was like a release from prison: playing exciting rounds of Exploding Snap with Juliet, Sirius, Remus, and Hanneli… eating Chocolate Frogs and Cauldron Cakes by the dozen… chatting about their respective summers…

"Sirius bought me a sundae at Florean Fortescue's!" Juliet giggled once the boys were safely out of their compartment. 

"Really?"

"A double, with nuts."

"Really!"

"Yeah, he's really sweet."

"That's so cute!" Lily exclaimed. She still didn't 'like' any boys, despite the fact that nearly all of the girls had a special 'someone' they had a crush on at the age of twelve.

"Nothing serious, you know… no pun intended," Juliet added. The two giggled some more about summers, then, once the boys reentered the compartment for a game of wizard chess, they began talking about the upcoming year.

"I am so trying out for Quidditch," Sirius boasted to anyone who would listen.

"Sure, Siri," Juliet said with a grin. He threw the chess white king at her, which began screaming, "STOP! STOP! GERROFF ME!" 

A fierce battle ensued, which concluded with Lily and Juliet rolling around in hysterical laughter, Lupin clutching his sides between gasps and chortles, Sirius with the Leg-Binding Curse, and James Potter with a blue tongue (Lily had purchased the copy of Friendly Curses to Get Revenge, and Juliet borrowed it in this 'emergency'.). 

She removed the book from her trunk to undo James's and Sirius's curses, and the boys pounced on it.

"Oh, cool!"

"Lilyaña, can I borrow it? PLEASE?"

"Don't try that puppy-face with me, Sirius, it's not going to work…"

"Oh, c'mon, Lily, please?"

"Lilyaña…" James teased. "Be a sport."

"Fine!" Lily said, flouncing out of the compartment. She returned five minutes later with Butterbeers for everyone.

"Thanks," James said coolly. Obviously, the revelry of the minute had been forgotten: she was bookworm Lily Evans, he was "Mr. Popular" James Potter again.

"Lilyaña," Sirius muttered in a phony deep voice, "you are fantastic!"

Lily blushed. She wasn't used to Sirius's half-teasing way of flirting with any female who came within ten feet of him. "Thanks," she managed to choke out, wondering if it was the proper thing to say.

The train soon arrived at Hogwarts; the first-years were sorted; and the second-year Gryffindors moved into a new dormitory.

The second-year rooms was more spacious, and Lily was glad that the management hadn't accepted the "keep the same dormitory" rule that had been proposed the previous year. Second-years also had a large chest of drawers in which to keep books, and a roomier closet for hanging robes.

"Awesome!" Juliet yelled, throwing herself on the comfortable bed. "No more living out of trunks!"

Lily wove around and around the beds, nearly bursting with joy at returning to Hogwarts. Classes started the next day, and there was an added bonus: no more flying lessons. Transfiguration and Charms were becoming more advanced, and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher promised an interesting year.

She was interrupted by a yell from the third-year boys' dormitory. "Gentlemen! Stop at once!" _What's Professor McGonagall doing in there?_ Lily thought. She didn't have long to wonder – the head of Gryffindor was soon dragging out three boys. One was almost disgustingly handsome, with blond hair looking as if it should be perfectly wavy, but someone had evidently performed a spell: the hair was frizzed around his face in what Lily's American cousins would call an Afro. The handsome boy's tongue was also hanging out of his mouth: he had obviously taken a beating at dueling. 

"I demand an explanation for this brawling!" McGonagall snapped, drawing herself up to her full height of five feet, four inches.

"It was Gilderoy, Professor," one of the other third-years whined. "'E was getting above himself, goin' on and on, bein' a brat, gettin' physical…" 

"No, he wasn't," the other boy said. "We were provoked, but he was insulting my parents – saying **he** was superior 'cause he was full-blood, callin' me Muggle, saying he was better at everything 'cause of his parents."

"Really," McGonagall said calmly. "Well, ten points will be taken from Gryffindor for your actions, and you will all receive a detention—yes, even you, Gilderoy, you shouldn't have insulted Frank – to be served next Monday night."

"But…"

"STOP IT, JONATHAN ENGLISH!"

"John – shut up," Frank whispered, then added, "Thank you, Professor. I'll be there."

As the two boys climbed the stairs, Lily heard John say to Frank, "What were you thanking 'er for? She just gave us a detention!"

Lily laughed, then continued to unpack.

* * *

First term at Hogwarts went by nearly in an eye-blink, and soon the Hogwarts Express was leaving for the Christmas vacation. Lily waved goodbye to Sirius as he disappeared into the distance: she'd decided to stay for Christmas but go home for Easter.

The Christmas feast was as sumptuous as usual, and Lily received presents from the Sinistras, her family, and a mysterious gift of a large box of Chocolate Frogs. A tag was attached, but it contained no name.

"Ooh, Lily!" Juliet teased. "A secret admirer!"

"They probably just want answers on the next quiz," Lily replied grumpily, but she grinned when Juliet looked away.

Very full of cakes, and carrying presents from the wizarding crackers, Juliet, Lily, and Hanneli turned into bed ready for a good night's sleep.

But it was not to be.

Soon after one o'clock in the morning, the sound of soft sobbing awoke Lily. Grabbing her Sof-Glo, the girl tiptoed around the dormitory. Two beds were empty: Ann's and Evelyn's – they were away for Christmas (much to Evelyn's disgust, James had stayed). Juliet was snoring, her mouth slightly open. That left Lily and Hanneli.

_Well, I know I'm not the one crying,_ Lily reasoned, _so that leaves Hanneli._ She sighed – although the witch had nothing against Hanneli, she often found her annoying. Sneaking over to the other occupied bed, Lily whispered, "Hanneli? Are you all right?"

A sob was her only answer. Lily pulled back the covers. "Hanneli?" The girl was weeping hysterically, her face smeared with tears, the pillow soaked with them. Lily began to worry – these tears weren't the result of a nightmare, or at least no nightmare that Lily had ever heard of. "Shh," she said in an attempt to be comforting. Hanneli only cried louder.

Lily sat down on the bed with a soft "whoosh." "Hanneli?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"I miss my mum," Hanneli whispered. "A-and nobody likes me, and y-y-y you're g-getting presents from admirers, and I'm s-s-s-s-stupid and I can't get any, any, any, any, anything…" She was hyperventilating. The girl's words became mostly sobs.

"Shh," Lily said again, then took Hanneli by the hand, and led her out to the common room. "Mum," Hanneli croaked. "Dad…."

"Stay there," Lily ordered. Hanneli meekly obeyed, burying her face in the pillow. Lily ran up to her bedside table, whispering, "_Accio chocolate_!" A bar of chocolate appeared in her hand, and Lily smiled proudly. She'd mastered that spell a whole year early! "Here," she said, returning to Hanneli. "Eat it. It'll make you feel better. And I'll tutor you in school."

After the chocolate was eaten, Lily went back to bed, as did Hanneli. Neither spoke of the incident again.

"This is getting ridiculous," Lily muttered when Hanneli was crying again the next night. She sat by her side until Hanneli went back to sleep, then asked (privately, the next night) if she'd like Lily to trade beds with Juliet so that she could sleep closer to Hanneli. Juliet agreed without asking any questions.

Lily got three nights of sound sleep; students returned to Hogwarts. She thought that Hanneli had a minor bout of homesickness, nothing more, and hoped that Evelyn wouldn't find out. The Sorting Hat must have found qualities that no one else could see, for Evelyn could be rude and mean sometimes, and no one could figure out how she was placed in Gryffindor.

The nights were undisturbed by wailing for over a week. Lily relaxed, taking her guard down at night. Although she and Hanneli were not close, something about her tearstained face made Lily feel protective. She didn't want Evelyn to hurt Hanneli – having felt the sharper side of a maiden's tongue long before she was a Hogwarts student.

Then, on a Saturday night, Hanneli was crying harder then she ever had. This time, she shook Lily awake in the middle of the night. "Lily?" the girl whimpered. "Lily?"

"What?" Lily asked groggily. "Hanneli, what now?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Hanneli sobbed. "I'm so scared…"

"Hanneli?" Lily was becoming concerned. Although Hanneli was a bit of a 'fraidy cat,' she'd never been scared during her nighttime laments – only homesick. "Hanneli, you can tell me." Her whole body spoke of friendly kindness. "I promise. I never tell anyone anything, right? Remember the time that you got so upset when you turned my hair black, and McGonagall had to reverse it? No one found out about that. Remember when Severus Snape was picking on you, and you told me? Nobody knows about that. Have I ever told about the time that you got so scared you nearly fell off of your broom? Hanneli, you can trust me."

"I don't want to d-d-d, d, d, drag you into it," Hanneli wailed.

"Hanneli. Please." Lily gave the weeping girl chocolate until she calmed down. "What's wrong?"

"It's – I've been having these nightmares, except I don't think they are nightmares. Not really. Remember when Ernie Briggs fell off of his broom and broke his arm?" Lily nodded. "I dreamed about that the night before.

"And they keep getting worse, more intense. They scare me so much. Every time, they come true. And in this one –" Hanneli's voice broke. "And in this one – it was ME. I was the one who was hurt. It was them." Hanneli broke into fresh tears.

"Hanneli, who was it?" Lily shook her. "WHO WAS IT?"

"Lucius. Crabbe. Goyle."

Lily's brow furrowed. Don't jump to conclusions, she told herself. Don't jump to conclusions. "It's all right, Hanneli. No one's going to hurt you with me around." She got her a glass of hot water. "Drink it all, then go back to bed."

Hanneli thought that the ordeal was over, as did Lily. But the next morning at breakfast, something was very wrong. The Slytherin Lucius Malfoy and his followers were laughing meanly. "Hello, Hanneli," Lucius said in a slick, smooth voice. "Having trouble sleeping?"

"You leave her alone!" Lily yelled.

"I'm just telling the truth. Homesick Hanneli." He made it into a chant. "Homesick Hanneli, homesick Hanneli, homesick Hanneli. Maybe you'd just better go back where you came from. You're not one of US." Hanneli's face was turning rapidly purple. She looked as if she was going to start bawling. Lily wished that Juliet, Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore – SOMEONE would appear and make this all go away. Hanneli hadn't been dreaming. She had predicted this.

Lucius reached out pincher-like fingers. "Let's make the Mudblood go back where she belongs."

All of a sudden, Hanneli was crying and running away. Lily ran with her.

"See?" Hanneli gasped. "See? I'm some kind of – some kind of monster! I'm mad! I'm not normal! Lucius was right. I don't belong here."

"No," Lily replied firmly. "This proves it. If anyone belongs here, you do."

"I'm sorry," Hanneli said, drying her tears. "They're idiots."

"That's the spirit."

"But I still don't understand that Charms work…."

Lily laughed. "Cheering charms? You could use one. I'll work with you later, though – I've got something I need to do first." Leaving a bewildered Hanneli behind, Lily smiled to cover up her inward distress, and bolted to Professor McGonagall's office.

"Professor? Are you there?"

"Yes," McGonagall called. "Who is it?"

"It's Lily Evans, Professor."

"Ah, Miss Evans. What's wrong?" Professor McGonagall leaned back in her desk chair. "I was just grading your Transfiguration project." Lily blanched. "You did very well."

"It's not that, professor. It's Hanneli."

"Ah. And what about Hanneli?"

"She's – she's been seeing things."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it all started on Christmas. She woke me up in the middle of the night, crying. She kept crying off and on, at night. And last night she was so scared – it was obvious that she wasn't really homesick. And she told me that she saw things. She dreamed that Ernie Briggs fell playing Quidditch the day before he broke his arm. And last night – it was her. Lucius was hurting her, in her dream. And today, Lucius was teasing her – hurting her…"

Professor McGonagall frowned.

"But I'm not coming to complain about Lucius, even though he's really mean to us. I'm worried. Is Hanneli _mad_?"

"Mad?" Professor McGonagall looked startled. "No, dear, she's not mad. No, not mad at all. Pardon me, but I think we need to go see Dumbledore."

Lily blindly followed the teacher through the halls. "Drooble's Best," Professor McGonagall whispered at the statue of a gargoyle, and Lily saw the inside of Dumbledore's office for the first time.

The headmaster was sitting at his desk, obviously thinking very hard. A bird swooped over to sit on Lily's shoulder. 

"Headmaster? If I may intrude…" Professor McGonagall wasn't waiting to find out if she could intrude or not. She strode in and sat down.

"What's wrong, Minerva? Surely not Miss Evans…"

"Oh, no, she's a model student." Lily glowed like a bedside lamp. "It's Hanneli Aaron. She – I think she's a Seer."

"Well, of course she is, Minerva," Dumbledore replied. "Why else would she be here, and in Gryffindor? It takes amazing bravery – AMAZING bravery – to be a Seer. The Sorting Hat saw that, even when Hanneli herself couldn't."

"Albus Dumbledore." McGonagall sat up ramrod-straight. "I wouldn't think that you – Hanneli has been horribly upset, thinking she's insane, and all this time you KNEW? You KNEW?"

"One can never be sure, Minerva." Dumbledore twiddled his thumbs as he talked. "Hanneli certainly has amazing capabilities. Much more of a Diviner than that Sibyll Trelawney who keeps predicting such – erm – interesting things. I do not doubt Sibyll's ability in Divination – quite the contrary; she's rather talented, even if she is a bit of an odd duck. But Hanneli – one only finds a Seer like her every other century – and it's not all ability, it's partly experience…"

"The girl needs training," McGonagall said sharply. "Immediately. So that's why she's in Gryffindor. I've always wondered."

"Minerva, an old Muggle said, 'Never judge a book by its cover.' I think that we've been judging Hanneli by her cover. She has hidden bravery no one has ever found. And, before you ask it, that is why the girl Evelyn is in Gryffindor. She will surprise you as well one day.

"Thank you, Miss Evans, for getting up the courage to come here. Congratulations on your excellent Charms abilities."

"Thank you, headmaster." Lily blushed. 

The two left the office together.

Hanneli's nightmares quite suddenly ceased as she (along with seventh-year Sibyll Trelawney) received instruction from Professor Kerli on Divination. (Kerli was doing "double duty," as she put it: tutoring for any advanced student as well as defense Against the Dark Arts.) More than that, she began to blossom. Her hair grew longer without split-ends, and Juliet loved to French-braid it into a long plait. No one knew about the despair Hanneli had experienced except for Lily and Lucius. 

The terms passed quickly, and Gryffindor won the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup, after a phenomenal game in which Chaser James Potter set a new record. Lily had reluctantly gone to the deciding game – she never had really understood either Quidditch or why people would want to play it, but she ended up taking more pictures to send home.

They said sad good-byes on Platform 9 ¾, ready to return home but sad that they were saying farewell for three months. 

The summer was extremely long, filled with visits to Juliet's home and learning what it was like to live in a wizarding family; jaunts to London where she introduced her parents to Butterbeer; devouring that new Muggle TV show, "The Avengers," and wishing for the first time that Hogwarts had a television. However, the Hogwarts letter was as anticipated as it had been in the past, and Lily was joyful on their trip to Diagon Alley to buy school supplies.

She'd met Juliet at the Leaky Cauldron and eaten lunch, and then proceeded to Gringotts to change or withdraw money. Their booklists were longer this year, as they had taken on extra subjects. (Lily was taking Study of Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, while Juliet had Care of Magical Creatures and Divination.)

"Phew," Juliet moaned. "Almost done. Look, I've got to go. See you later."

Juliet had hardly disappeared around the corner when two boys strolled down the street, joking loudly and laughing. The taller was quite handsome, with a shock of black hair that hung in his storm-gray eyes. The shorter was less attractive, but he radiated charisma. Lily sat down quickly. She knew them! James Potter was the taller boy – but what a different James, a James grown to gargantuan proportions, a James looking more and more like the new third-year heartthrob. The shorter was Adam Weasley (brother of Arthur Weasley, legendary in Quidditch and Muggle Studies. He'd graduated from Hogwarts before Lily arrived).

_Say hello,_ Lily begged inwardly. _Come on. You know me. Granted, you don't know me very well, but be polite. Say hello. Come on. I know I'm a dork, a bookworm, but say hello. You're smart, James. Come on!_ _Recognize me!_ Her inward voice of reason suggested, "Why don't YOU say hello?"

__

What? Me? It'd look natural coming from Evelyn or Ann, maybe even Juliet. One of those flirts, and Juliet's so easy with people… But I know I'd stutter, I'd look like a dweeb, I'd do something wrong… She ran down the cobblestones and turned a perfect cartwheel in an attempt to capture their attention. She then attempted a handspring. Her arm slipped, banging on the hard path. "Ouch," she muttered. It felt broken.

_Don't cry in front of James, you'll look like an idiot._

You don't LIKE him, do you?

No. No. All I want is a little respect, acknowledgement as a fellow Homo sapien. Lily hurried down the path, clutching her throbbing arm. There was a small medicinal shop – surely one of those witches could heal…

"Honey, what did you do to yourself this time?" asked a familiar-looking witch. She was the smiling saleswoman on the Hogwarts Express. "Showing off?"

It came dangerously close to the truth. 

"Ah, well, no matter, it's not a bad break. It'll hurt for a bit, but should be A-okay in an hour or so." The witch tapped the injured arm with her wand, muttering "_Resarcio!_" "That'll be three Sickles and fourteen Knuts." Lily counted out the money, wincing – there went that special quill she wanted. 

"Do your parents know you're hurt?" the healer yelled after Lily as she dashed away, but the girl didn't hear – or pretended not to.

"I saw James Potter in Diagon Alley," she mentioned to Juliet on the Hogwarts Express. 

"Really."

"He completely ignored me."

"Oh, that's too bad. Come on, let's eat lunch." Juliet glanced at Lily's stricken face. "Well, I mean, he's James Potter. What do you expect?"

_I DON'T like him, _Lily told herself again and again. _I just want some respect._

When her heart started throbbing as James entered the compartment, she realized that she'd been fooling herself. 

"You were in Diagon Alley last week," he said abruptly. Lily sat down quickly to stop her legs from shaking. She wondered why she'd never noticed how cute he was before.

"So what if I was?" Lily answered, struggling to keep her cool and not to yell, "James, you idiot, I love you!" "Most people were. So, I guess you saw me screw up that handspring?"

"No," he replied, looking puzzled. 

"JAMES!" 

"Evelyn! Hi!" James got up and left the compartment. He and Evelyn were soon laughing over a joke. 

Lily let out a shaky breath. _James, I love you_, she thought. 

But she didn't have much time for loving James. Muggle Studies had become a required subject, and a much-discussed issue was Muggle Politics. This was exceptionally relevant as a new Minister of Magic was to be elected, and tensions were running high.

**CLOSE RACE STILL CLOSE!** the Daily Prophet screamed. **Wizarding Polls Not Giving Results!** Lily, who'd always considered politics as simply a fact of life, was fascinated. She'd ordered a special newsball from a catalogue – it updated every time there was a new poll or news flash. Politics and the wizarding world didn't seem to fit together, but she learned more and more about the election process, as the candidates became the hot topic. 

Wizards voted much like Muggles, only they did it with a spell, while under a Privacy Charm. All wizards over the age of 18, or if they'd graduated from Hogwarts at a young age, were eligible. Lily sat on her hands, waiting for the magic birthday to come… not the next election, but the one after that… 

As Election Day, or Halloween, approached, the election came closer and closer. Ministry Party candidate Joseph Chandler was having a tough race against the Wizard's Party contestant, Jonathan Davies. Duels broke out in the hallways of Hogwarts over candidate's issues like Muggle treatment, acceptances into schools like Hogwarts, and funding for private institutions like St. Mungo's. 

"THIS IS GETTING OUT OF HAND!" Professor McGonagall yelled the day the results were scheduled to come in, after breaking up her seventh duel in fifteen minutes. Students were carrying Newsballs around – Lily was very pro-Jonathan Davies, while James was all for Joseph Chandler. Lily tried not to think of Chandler when she looked into James's eyes, thinking, "James, if you only knew how much I loved you." 

Naturally, James didn't know, as Lily could hardly collect enough courage to say two words to him. On the other hand, Evelyn and James were practically inseparable. Not that they kissed, hugged, or even made personal contact, but they were partners in Potions… laughed together in the corridors, oblivious to Lily's wince… shared jokes… debated loudly… So obviously best friends. Lily felt her heart aching every time Evelyn and James's eyes met in Transfiguration.

And then the election results were coming in: Ottery St. Catchpole was Chandler… Diagon Alley was Davies… Underbelly Road was Chandler… Davies… Chandler… Davies… Professor McGonagall, who had admitted weeks earlier to being obsessed with politics, had stopped class to watch her enlarged Newsball.

"Class, remember to study those – oh, here comes Pelicana – YES! Davies! – spells tonight, remember most of you will be voting in the next election! Davies is in the lead – no, it's tied – just Hogsmeade waiting to come in – Sages, what is taking them so long?" Lily giggled to see the normally subdued professor bang her head on her desk.

Lily stayed up late that night, eyes glued to her Newsball. Hogsmeade was the only town that they were waiting on. She finally fell asleep around one o'clock in the morning, wondering who won the election.

But there was no celebration or defeat in Gryffindor Tower that day. There was no new Minister of Magic.

"Honestly, most of th' Hogsmeade people are Hogwarts graduates!" Sirius spluttered. "Can't they even do a simple spell?"

"Obviously not," Professor McGonagall uttered dryly, coming up behind him.

"What are they going to DO?"

"Who would know. I think you need to ask Hanneli about that one." 

"HANNELI!" Lily yelled. "WHO WON THE ELECTION?"

"I don't know," the girl said tiredly. "I've been trying to See – but there's too many emotions just bouncing around." Lily blushed, unconsciously looking at James. "And I don't mean just over this." She did an imaginary foxtrot. "There's going to be a ball!" Hanneli squealed.

"A ball? A real ball?" Maybe James will dance with me, Lily thought before she realized it.

"Yes – Dumbledore announced it last night. Er, I mean, he's going to announce it tonight. Must go – I'm late for Charms…"

"Hanneli? We don't have Charms until this afternoon."

"Well, I'm going to be late, then."

"Those Seers," James said with a sigh. "They never can get their tenses right."

Lily laughed too loudly. "Did you hear what she was talking about?" she asked excitedly, before realizing that she was actually talking to James Potter. 

"No… just the part about Charms." James looked bored.

"There's going to be a Ball – a Christmas Ball, I guess!" Lily squeaked. "Dumbledore's going to announce it tonight."

"Oh, a ball." James became more bored. "Well… um… see you later, Lily."

"Bye." Lily's insides felt warm all over as the boy went away.

Hanneli was, of course, right. Dumbledore announced that night that there would be a Yule Ball, to be held the night before students left for Christmas. "This will be a nice break from –er—politics," he said. "By the way, no decision has been reached in the Davies/Chandler case." Boos overran the cheers that had erupted with the news of the Yule Ball. "But, in lieu of a decision on the election, you'll have to take this small consolation." Cheers erupted again. "And, as none of you have suitable robes, there will be a school-wide visit to Gladrags Wizard Wear in Hogsmeade next week." Yelling rocked the Great Hall.

"It'll be fascinating to go to Hogsmeade, I mean, with all of the political stuff going on – we'll actually get to see it!" Lily said excitedly. "We're living through history here!"

Sirius gave a fake snore. "Shut up, Lilyaña," he said. "Professor McGonagall has only been telling us that for the past week."

James rolled his eyes as well. Lily blushed.

* * *

The Hogsmeade visit was just as exciting as Lily had promised. Although politics were still the main topic, the best part (in Lily's opinion) was eating at the Three Broomsticks – with James sitting at a table in front of her. Gladrags Wizardwear was a close second in main attractions, as the selection of robes it carried (in all styles, colors, and fabrics) was fabulous: Lily spent more Galleons then she'd intended on three different dress robes.

"Lily, you only need one," Juliet complained, looking longingly at the midnight-blue robe Lily was holding up. "After all, what are you going to do – leave the ball, change, and come back?"

Lily smiled, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. Juliet's family wasn't exactly poor, but they were hardly well-off either (as there were four growing children with another on the way) and couldn't afford three dress robes for one ball.

"'Course, they'll probably fit you for about ten years," Juliet added, and was rewarded with a friendly punch on the arm. "Ow! Stop!" 

"All right." Lily grinned, and grabbed the three robes she'd chosen: evergreen silk, midnight-blue crêpe, and a very expensive one of gray gauze over silk of the same color.

"Ooh," Juliet said when the price showed up. "My parents would KILL me if I spent that much on robes."

"Mine probably will," Lily replied ruefully. "But there's sure to be a Yule Ball next year, and I can wear the gray one to Alison's wedding in July." Juliet snorted, uncertain of the practicality of these arguments.

"My mum _will_ like the gray one." Alison was Juliet's much-older sister. "And you can lend them to me – right?" Juliet grabbed a goldenrod-colored robe off the rack marked SALE! and frowned. "Yuck."

"Look, Julie, you don't have to buy one if you don't want to," Lily said hastily, trying not to appear as if she was trying to force Juliet to accept charity. "I mean – like you said, I don't really need three for one ball, and you're almost my size – and those ones on the SALE rack that your mum wants you to buy are just so UGLY…"

"First of all, Lily," Juliet responded rather coldly, "I'm nowhere near your size. No, don't interrupt – let me finish. Second of all, the colors wouldn't look good on me. Third of all, I don't take charity! Fourth of all, wouldn't Evelyn laugh if she knew they were your robes?"

"Julie, they can be altered by magic, and this isn't charity – think of it as your Christmas present – and Evelyn never has to know, does she?" But Juliet wouldn't let Lily finish, and stormed off to look at more robes. "Sorry," Lily called to her retreating back. "You don't have to." She ran to join her friend. "Ooh, Juliet, that looks great on you!" she exclaimed enthusiastically. The new robes were stark white cotton with midnight blue gauze on top. 

"Yeah… thanks…" Juliet glanced at the price tag and winced, then counted her money. "Ack – I'm a Galleon short, and it'll mean smaller Christmas presents…."

"Here." Lily shoved a Galleon into her friend's hand. "Merry Christmas."

"Lily – no… you shouldn't…."

"It's your Christmas present."

"You won't get anything from me, all my money will go here…" Juliet was shaking her head even as her hand closed over the coin.

"I won't need a Christmas present… for, like, the next five years? Hmm? And think what Sirius will think when he sees you in that…" Lily had touched a sore point. Juliet's arguments afterwards were far less convincing.

"Lily, really, you shouldn't…."

"TAKE IT, YOU UNGRATEFUL WRETCH!" Lily yelled teasingly.

Juliet grinned and went to buy the robe.

* * *

Even the political and Christmas excitement couldn't conceal the fact that exams were fast approaching, and the teachers continually reminded them that they needed to study more. "Really, third-years, I don't think you've studied at all!" Professor Binns said. 

"Hasn't he died YET?" Juliet whispered very audibly. Everyone knew that Professor Binns was celebrating his ninetieth birthday in a few weeks, and hopes were high that he would retire. 

"You think death is going to slow him down?" Hanneli replied with a derisive snort. "Come on, let's get this paper done… Honestly, Lily, I don't think you've heard a word we said!"

"Sorry," Lily muttered. "I was distracted…."

Of course, politics were extremely distracting – the Ministry Party was now proposing a recasting of **all** the votes, and Lily was proud to be the first student to know, and even the first resident, and the first to tell McGonagall (who turned sheet-white and dropped her wand).

"You know what I want for Christmas?" Juliet asked one day as they finished an extremely complex piece of Transfiguration homework. "A Minister of Magic."

"Don't we all," Professor McGonagall sighed as she came in to help.

But the Yule Ball was nigh, and no Minister was appearing on the horizon. The evening of the party and dance, Juliet, Lily, and Hanneli spent hours changing robes, perfuming themselves, painting nails, and charming their hair. Lily did an involved Straightening Charm on her hair, then spelled it to create a French-braided crown. "There," she muttered to herself. "How can James resist you?"

"Mm?" asked Hanneli, who'd come up behind her unannounced. "Remus is waiting…."

It had been no trouble for the girls to secure partners for the ball. To Lily's discontent, James was accompanying Evelyn ("What, d'you think you'd ASK him?" she mocked herself), but Frank Longbottom, the fourth-year, had asked her, as had Remus Lupin. (Frank changed his mind and escorted Christine Flanders when Lily chose Remus.) Even Hanneli was going with Peter Pettigrew, and Juliet with Sirius, much to her delight. Gilderoy Lockhart had asked Ann.

When Remus asked her, Lily's heart leapt – Remus and James were friends… maybe she'd dance with James… and as the ball approached, she started straightening her hair in the mornings and wearing makeup, trying to catch his eye. It might have worked – they had "advanced tutoring" in Charms and Transfiguration together, and he'd talked with her once or twice – and Lily was hopeful in the days proceeding the ball. She'd even learned to like Quidditch, coming to the games to watch a certain Gryffindor Chaser… 

"Lily, you sure have been dreamy lately!" Juliet said in disgust one morning, after she'd had to shake the redhead to wake her from a daydream. "I wish the ball was just – over!"

But Juliet was as excited as everyone else when Sirius called for her. "You look nice," he said appreciatively.

"I thought you never noticed what girls were wearing." She smiled.

"You look nice."

"Thanks." Lily shot Juliet an I-told-you-so look.

"Sirius?"

"Mm?"

"Promise me you won't mention politics tonight?" Juliet asked pleadingly as they walked down the hall. Lily snickered.

McGonagall came up behind them. "Sorry, don't think that's going to happen," she said, blinking. "The High Court of the Ministry is making their decision as we speak."

"You mean – we'll have a minister of magic tonight?" Juliet and Lily crossed their fingers simultaneously, mouthing the word "DAVIES!"

"Maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow." McGonagall laid a hand on Lily's shoulder as she reached for her newsball. "But there's no need to take your newsballs to the party. Dumbledore will announce it if there's a decision, and don't let politics spoil the dance."

The dance was too good to be spoiled by politics. Dumbledore had booked a new group called the Animagi, and their music rocked the Great Hall as the students danced. Eventually, the loud, fast music stopped, and their lead singer began wailing a slower song. Lily winced – she'd never been a fan of popular music in the Muggle world, and obviously wizard groups weren't much different. Then Lupin was sweeping her off of her feet, and she was muttering, "You can dance!" admiringly.

"Can I cut in?" Sirius asked with an over-elaborate bow. "May I have this dance, mademoiselle?" 

"Sure." Sirius was an even better dancer then Lupin was, and Lily hardly needed to move – Sirius was floating her around the floor. "Oy, James!" he yelled admiringly. "Trade partners?"

Lily's heart leapt. 

"Next dance." James whisked Evelyn about the room as Gilderoy did a showy swing with Ann.

"He's a brainless git, but he's quite a dancer," Sirius admitted grudgingly. Lily started.

"James?"

"Gilderoy, Lilyaña, you idiot," Sirius said in a friendly way. "Do you think I'd let you dance with a brainless git?"

"I already am," she muttered mutinously. Sirius nearly dropped her and clutched his heart in mock pain. 

"Oh, the tongue is mightier than the sword…."

"Don't mix your metaphors," Lily said chidingly.

"Yes, Mother." 

The song came to an end, and Lily was dancing with James. The next number was even slower, and James waltzed her around the floor._ I'm dead, I'm in heaven, this can't be happening_. Getting up the nerve to stop looking at her feet (heaven forbid that she'd tread on James's toes), she nearly let go of James when she looked into his fog-gray eyes – the color of her dress robes... _I LOVE YOU!_ she thought, thanking God that James was rotten at Divination…

On the next song, he danced with her as well, as Evelyn was jitterbugging with Lupin. _Don't ever let me go,_ Lily thought. Her personal paradise was ended when the song stopped abruptly.

"Hey!" "What happened?" "Turn the music back on!" "What?" Discontent was nearly palpable in the Hall. Then Dumbledore was standing on a podium, and speaking, his voice magically modified:

"Witches and wizards, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I thought you'd like to know that the Ministry has reached a decision.

A swift silence descended onto the Great Hall. Juliet's whispering of "Davies, Davies, Davies…" seemed earsplitting.

"The court has ruled," he continued, "that no re-voting will take place." Boos and cheers erupted; the headmaster raised his hand for silence. "Furthermore, as the mayor of Hogsmeade had already proclaimed Davies the winner…" The silence became suffocatingly heavy. "We have a new Minister of Magic: Jonathan Davies!"

The yelling nearly deafened Lily. "But! Our candidates are such – fine men, so willing to accept defeat…" -- A collective groan echoed -- "… that Chandler is going to be the Head of General Magic under Davies… his 'wand-hand man,' so to speak."

Dumbledore couldn't have more effectively ended the ball. Juliet ran up to Lily and threw her arms around her, screaming with joy. Professor McGonagall was nearly crying with happiness, and James looked rather disappointed. 

"That was terribly good of him," Lily said, too happy to realize that she was starting a conversation with James, "to take a post under Davies, I mean."

"I don't know if I could have done that," James agreed in a moment of unexpected frankness.

"Ah, well, there'll probably be a rematch in two years anyway," Sirius said wisely. "Sybill has Seen it." Everyone laughed; the tension was broken.

Although the rivalry was over, no one could get back into the party spirit. Political debates reverberated over the wailing of "Animagi." Eventually, Dumbledore announced that the overnight train would depart in an hour, and there was a generally unpleasant "bottleneck" effect as everyone tried to leave the Great Hall through the same set of doors.

"'Bye!" Lily called as the train zoomed out of sight. "Merry Christmas!" Despite Juliet's protests, Lily had decided to leave Hogwarts for Christmas that year. Her parents had wanted her to come home for the holidays for three years, and she'd never complied. They'd exchanged gifts after the ball, and Lily was engrossed in a brand-new novel called Squib, a gift from Juliet.

It was wonderful to sleep in her own room again, although Petunia became extremely unpleasant when she demonstrated her new abilities to change inanimate objects into animals. Her parents, however, begged for her to do more. "And McGonagall said I'm the most talented student (besides James Potter) that she's had in years, and she used my Transfiguration essay on Animagi as an example…."

"Show-off," Petunia muttered.

But all in all, it was a lovely Christmas. Six inches of snow blanketed the town on New Year's Eve, and Lily showed off to Petunia by charming her sled to fly.

"Lily!"

"What?" Lily yelled, bringing her sled to an abrupt halt.

"LILLIAN ELISE EVANS, YOU COME INSIDE RIGHT NOW!"

"Yes, Mum," Lily grumbled, dragging her sleigh inside. 

"Lil, go get packed up. Dad's afraid the roads will be bad – no, you are NOT allowed to use Flow powder, or whatever that stuff is called. I think travelling that way is dangerous – and we need to get going. PACK! Now!" she roared in mock fierceness, and Lily scrambled up to her room.

Snow fell as the Hogwarts Express zoomed along, and Lily read a new book she'd bought in Diagon Alley: Love Potions, a "tragic tale of love and hope," the back read. She'd taken a last-minute trip to Diagon Alley by Floo powder, wishing to demonstrate this amazing new way of travel to her parents. Her mum was not impressed.

"Lily?" Remus Lupin came into her compartment. "How are you? Happy New Year!"

"Thanks, Remus – I didn't know you left for Christmas…."

To her amazement, he turned red. "Erm… I wasn't going to, but my parents came up to Hogwarts at the last minute." 

"Oh, that's nice."

"Mm-hmm. Um – I had fun at the ball." Remus seemed embarrassed to be talking to her, and Lily smiled secretly… she thought she knew what was up…

"Thanks," she said. "So did I."

Dear Juliet_,_ she wrote once he'd left the compartment. I think Remus Lupin has a crush on me! I'm sending this with an owl because I want to show you my favorite Christmas present. Isn't she cute? I've named her Snowflake; after all, she's about the size of one. But she'll grow. Anyway, I don't know if Snowflake is a very reliable mail carrier, after all, she's a tiny owl. Guess we'll find out! J See you in a few hours – Lily

"Um – Lily?" Remus tapped her on the shoulder as the Hogwarts Express pulled in. "Do you need help with your trunk?"

Remus wasn't a bad sort, after all. He wasn't as charismatic as his best friends Sirius Black and James Potter, and not as popular – in fact, the boy had a tendency to keep to himself – but he was a 'nice boy,' as Mrs. Evans would say, and Lily decided that there was nothing wrong with showing a little common courtesy.

"That would be great." Lily brushed snow out of her hair and smiled at Remus. "Isn't this weather awful?"

"Oh. Yes, although I've always liked snow."

"Yeah, it's nice enough, but we had nearly a fourth of a meter near Devizes, it gets old after awhile."

"You're from Devizes?"

"Yeah," Lily answered, starting to tromp up to the castle.

"I'm from Bath."

"That must be nice."

Professor McGonagall quickly halted further conversation. "Really, what is taking you so long?" she asked, peeved. "The snow shouldn't slow down the Express, we're all waiting for you…"

"The snow was pretty bad," Lily said as an explanation.

"Miss Evans, I don't remember asking for your opinion. Now go in and sit down, chop-chop! We don't have time to sit around and wait for you!" Professor McGonagall looked – well, scared, and it frightened Lily.

"What's with her?" Lily mouthed to Remus. He shrugged.

"Students," Dumbledore said once they'd entered the Great Hall, "I have some shocking news for you."

Murmurs immediately began circulating in the Great Hall. Rita Skeeter, a seventh-year Hufflepuff no one really cared for, took out a piece of paper. Her closest friend, Bertha Jorkins, immediately began writing down notes. Lily sighed. Bertha loved to gossip, and Rita loved scandals. The two were a good pair, although Bertha was rather harmless, although a gossiper, and Rita was dangerously smart.

"On Christmas Eve…" Dumbledore paused. "On Christmas Eve, a student was nearly killed by a Dark wizard still unknown to us." 

Gasps went through the crowd. 

"She was lucky that with her was a girl – not a friend – but a girl she knew, that was brave enough to step in.

"Remember this girl. Remember who she was, and who she might have become.

"Teresa Johnston, a Beater from Ravenclaw, was in Diagon Alley doing some last-minute Christmas shopping when she took a wrong turn. She ended up in a little-used byway between Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley." Dumbledore paused, some students jumped when he mentioned Knockturn Alley. "Those of you who are full-blooded [Dumbledore never used the words 'pure-blooded' in any year Lily attended Hogwarts] witches and wizards might know that Knockturn Alley does not have the – erm—most _spotless_ reputation." Lily pulled out her camera and snapped a quick picture of every student looking up at Dumbledore. There were tears on Professor Kerli's face, and McGonagall was sniffling. "Someone attacked her." 

A few of the sixth-years were sobbing; Teresa was a pretty and intelligent Quidditch player from their year, and she was well-liked by all Houses.

"Teresa couldn't defend herself. The attacker was using the Unforgivable Curses. Someone heard her screaming and came running." Dumbledore paused again. "This girl was Hanneli Aaron." 

A few snickered.

"Hanneli Aaron used some elementary curses that slowed the attacker down, but he hurt her severely. Teresa and Hanneli are both at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Teresa will recover, but it will take time. No one is sure about Hanneli.

"She might not make it.

"Hanneli was brave far beyond what was called for. Remember her as she was. If you see someone that needs protecting, someone in trouble, EVER, I beg you to act. Act, and remember Hanneli Aaron. Take an example from her bravery. Thank you."

When Dumbledore finished, many students were crying, Lily among them. To never see Hanneli again… never to hear her be scared or frightened… never to laugh with her over some silly visions… never… never… the "nevers" rang in her head until she thought it would burst. Even Evelyn Gardener looked solemn for once. Never. Something about Dumbledore's voice struck a chord inside Lily. She'd heard people talk like that before…

"Lily, honey, your grandma has cancer."

"Lily, I thought we ought to tell you."

"If she makes it…."

"We thought you needed to know."

"She doesn't have much of a chance."

Lily's grandma had died the next week. She'd only been three, and couldn't remember the woman very well, but what she remembered was the voices that told her that her grandma wasn't going to live. 

Dumbledore's voice had held the same tone. 

Never see Hanneli again.

All of a sudden, the times she remembered about Hanneli flashed before her eyes:

_Doesn't seem like a Gryffindor to me. Looks more like a Hufflepuff. Hanneli, with her two thin braids, pulling on the Sorting Hat. Lily, could you help me with this Charms homework? The first student Sorted. Her huge grin when she got into Gryffindor. The look on her frightened, tearstained face the night her sobs had awakened Lily. Of course she's a Seer, Minerva. Let's make her go back where she came from, girls. How did she ever get into Gryffindor? Honestly, Lily, I don't think you've heard a single thing I said! You think death will slow him down?_

This last memory was so clear that Lily could feel the texture of Hanneli's robes brushing her arm as they did the History of Magic project, the derisive snort that followed the words. Death. Death. Always death. The tears came faster down Lily's face, and suddenly she knew that she couldn't bear it a moment longer. Death can't slow Hanneli down, she thought. Death can't slow her down. Muffling a sob, Lily Evans ran from the Great Hall…

"Lily? Are you all right?" Sirius asked softly. For once he was serious; he hadn't called her "Lilyaña."

"Of course she's not," Professor McGonagall answered, but the sharpness was missing from her tone. "None of us are all right. We'll never be truly all right again." 

Juliet got up as well, following Lily. She found her right outside of the Hall, sobbing brokenheartedly. 

"Minerva? Might I –" Professor Kerli asked quietly.

"No," McGonagall replied, and her face was as teary as Lily's. "I think…" her voice cracked. "I think she needs to be alone for a few minutes."

Life went on, although no news was received about Hanneli. Hogwarts was solemn and quiet. The students pulled fewer pranks, told fewer jokes, held fewer duels. The teachers, too, appeared distracted.

One day later that week, Evelyn was missing from Transfiguration. "Does anyone know where she is?" Professor McGonagall asked bitingly. She'd become sharper since the Hanneli incident: it was wearing on all of the teachers, and the strain was showing. 

"She was at breakfast," James volunteered. Would he have noticed if it was me? Lily wondered.

"Well, it's an automatic detention for missing one class," McGonagall replied warningly. Everyone assumed that Evelyn was simply skipping Transfiguration that day.

At lunch, Evelyn was still missing, and the teachers were becoming worried. "Who saw Evelyn last?" McGonagall asked. Everyone was more paranoid since Hanneli and Teresa had been attacked. 

"I did," James said surely. "She ate breakfast with me –" No one noticed Lily's wince – "and she left me in the hallway."

"Thank you, Potter." Professor McGonagall didn't smile. "I'll ask the portraits who saw her last."

After class, Peter Pettigrew approached Lily. "Lily?"

"Oui?" Lily asked absentmindedly, studying her History of Magic notes.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure. I'm here. Talk."

"No, I mean, like, alone."

"Mm." Lily and Peter left the portrait hole. "What?"

"I think – I think I know where Evelyn is."

Lily gasped. "Where?"

"She asked me if I knew if James was available, and I said no, he was at Quidditch practice, and she said, that if I wouldn't tell anybody, did I know of any secret passages to Hogsmeade, 'cause she knew James did." Pettigrew paused. "I don't want to tell McGonagall, she'll get James in trouble, and Evelyn, and probably me."

Lily stopped. The time had come for drastic measures.

"I think…" she started, then paused. "I think we need to go to Dumbledore."

"Wha…."

"Peter, you stay right there." When she needed to, Lily could become commanding – not bossy, but completely in control.

"But…."

"We're going to make sure Evelyn's all right. Go in and do the homework. I'll be back in a few minutes." Lily had no idea if that was true, but she ran past the Fat Lady ("Really, my dear, there's no need to run") and zoomed towards the Great Hall.

"Professor Kerli!" Lily yelled as she saw her favorite teacher approaching. 

"Really, Lily, whatever is the matter?"

"Where's Dumbledore's office?" 

"Lily…."

"I don't have time to explain." Lily panted for breath. "It has to do with Evelyn Gardener, all right?"

"Ev – all right, Lily, but come with me." Professor Kerli pulled the girl towards the stone gargoyle. "Oh, I can never remember these passwords! Um… Sherbet lemon. Pear drop. Bertie Bott's – oh, no, he got that vomit bean and doesn't like them. Pepper Imp! Ice Mouse!" The professor gritted her teeth. "Ergh, why does he insist on candy for the password? Sugar Quill! Exploding Bonbon! Oh… I don't know… Cockroach Cluster! Acid Pop! Jelly Slug!" The gargoyle swung open. 

"Jelly Slug?" Lily repeated incredulously. They were standing inside Dumbledore's office.

"Yes, I've always been rather fond of them," the headmaster replied. He looked older than usual; Lily could see fewer auburn streaks in his gray hair. "Now… what is the problem?"

Lily repeated what Peter Pettigrew had told her. "And you can't get James in trouble, or Sirius, or Peter, 'cause it wasn't their faults, they just found those passages…" She paused for breath.

"Quite all right, Miss Evans. I found a few myself, when I was here." Lily wrinkled her nose. It was difficult to imagine Dumbledore as a student. "But the information you told me – that is worrying. Very, very worrying. I think – yes, we need to act at once. _Code Alpha!_" The last two words meant nothing to Lily, but McGonagall appeared in Dumbledore's office almost instantly, out of breath.

"What is it, Dumbledore?"

Dumbledore restated Lily's information. "We need to act on this, Minerva. Evelyn could be in danger – and without Hanneli, there' s no way to know."

"Take Evelyn's route?"

"No, there's a quicker way."

"Do…" It took Lily a minute to find her voice. "Do you want me to come?"

"Yes." Dumbledore paused. "I think it might be best. But I need to swear you to secrecy about one thing." Another pause. "The Whomping Willow was put in place for a reason. Plants like that are not bought simply for decorative purposes. Remus Lupin is a werewolf."

"Remus?" Lily gasped. 

"THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH HIM. He is as normal as you or I, but once a month he needs a safe place to change. And a passage through there goes straight to the Shrieking Shack. I wouldn't necessarily, but…"

"We need speed," McGonagall finished.

Dumbledore grabbed something off of his desk. "We'll need this. People don't ordinarily walk out of the Shrieking Shack in broad daylight, if you know what I mean."

The three set off.

They had walked for about three or four minutes when something was thrown over Lily. She looked down at her feet, and was surprised to discover that she couldn't see them.

"Invisibility Cloak," Dumbledore hissed. "We're in Hogsmeade."

The unlikely trio slipped out the door of the Shrieking Shack, then removed the cloak, and walked about, looking.

"Excuse me," Professor McGonagall asked a man, "have you seen a girl, about fourteen years old, wearing black robes, all alone?"

"'Fraid not, miss," the man answered. "Why?"

Professor McGonagall bit her lip. "She – erm, wandered away from the group. We're not particularly worried, but after what happened over Christmas…"

"Poor Hanneli Aaron," the man agreed. "Well, good luck. Hope nothing's happened to her."

"So do I," McGonagall muttered. "Oh, Sages, so do I."

* * *

The fruitless search lasted nearly half an hour, and after checking nearly every shop in town, Dumbledore said, "I guess we're going to have to report her to the Bureau at the Ministry."

"Dumbledore, I really don't think it would be wise…."

"No, we don't want this getting out, but Evelyn's safety is far, far more important than our reputation," the headmaster agreed.

As they turned to begin the trudge back to Hogwarts, Lily pulled on Professor McGonagall's sleeve urgently.

"Miss Evans, I don't think this is the time –"

"Professor, look! Over there!" Lily pointed.

"Is it –"

"I think it is!" The girl didn't look anything like Evelyn. Her eyes were red and puffy, her robes were covered in slimy mud, and her hair was straggling.

"Evelyn Gardener!" Professor McGonagall threw off the Invisibility Cloak and ran over to the girl. Although she rarely touched a student, this time she grabbed Evelyn's shoulders and shook her. "Miss Gardener, where have you been? We've been frantic!" Then she noticed that Evelyn was crying.

"Miss Gardener?" Dumbledore asked, more gently. "What happened?"

"I went to see Hanneli," Evelyn sobbed.

"You – I think we need a Butterbeer. And you, miss, need some chocolate." Dumbledore produced the latter from his pocket, then led them into the Three Broomsticks. Once Evelyn had calmed down, he asked, "Now, what happened?"

"I went to see Hanneli Aaron."

"Why –" Professor McGonagall began.

"Let her finish," Dumbledore said. His voice was strong but quiet.

"I know I've never been very nice to Hanneli, and I kept thinking, what if she dies and I never apologized? So I asked Peter Pettigrew about passages out of Hogwarts, and I walked to Hogsmeade Station and took a Portkey to St. Mungo's, and –" She was unable to finish. "It was awful. Hanneli was so quiet, and she had scars all over – and her face – and you looked in her eyes and you knew, you KNEW, that there wasn't anybody inside there," she concluded after taking a gulp of her Butterbeer. "And then, and then, I was getting up to leave when I heard this – this…" Evelyn started to cry again. "Hanneli… she's dead."

Dumbledore mutely bowed his head, and McGonagall wiped her eyes. Lily didn't say anything. She wasn't sure if the adults realized that she was there.

In a few moments, the headmaster continued somberly, "Evelyn Gardener, that was a very brave thing you just did."

"It – it wasn't anything."

"It was, and you know it. To escape from Hogwarts… to go to St. Mungo's… I've been there, Evelyn. It's not a nice place. The pain and suffering they're… It's like Azkaban, in a sadder and quieter way." Dumbledore's eyes looked more misty than usual. "There will be no punishment for this. You were in the hospital wing this afternoon." 

Evelyn looked at him, puzzled.

"Miss Gardener, **you were in the hospital wing this afternoon**," Dumbledore repeated urgently. "Correct?"

"Erm – yes."

"Madam Pomfrey will be informed of where you were. I will –" Dumbledore suddenly looked anciently old. "I will tell the school about Hanneli tonight."

McGonagall gave a small sob, then, controlling herself, she rose. "Consequently – while you were there, did you happen to see Teresa?"

"She's – she's better off than Hanneli." Evelyn's voice was shaking, and, when they had once more been draped in the Invisibility Cloak, Lily realized the girl's limbs were as well.

They had reached the broad castle doors when Evelyn collapsed in a heap, shaking.

"Miss Gardener!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed, alarmed. "Are you all right?"

"Of course she's not, Minerva," Dumbledore replied. "Evelyn, that was a huge ordeal you went through today. I'm surprised you made it this far. Miss Evans… could you take her to the hospital wing? I will accompany you." He put the cloak back on Evelyn, and the three of them walked to the ward.

Lily didn't want to remember the day that Dumbledore announced to the school that Hanneli was dead. In years to come, she never did completely recall that night. Teresa recovered, somber and white, and returned to school.

Gryffindors passed on their end-of-term exams again, but there was no raucous celebration. Everyone was quieter, less rambunctious. Perhaps the greatest change was in Evelyn.

"Promise you won't tell anyone where I was," she said to Lily repeatedly. "But it – it was awful, Lil! Everyone was so still, so white… it was the saddest thing I'd ever seen – and they all had scars… and Hanneli's face…" She and Lily became closer after that; Evelyn never told Ann or James.

All in all, Lily and Juliet were glad when the term ended and summer vacation arrived. The air at Hogwarts had been heavy with sorrow, and Lily wasn't sorry to escape the atmosphere. Hanneli's ghost, it seemed, was everywhere, and she looked forward to a fifth year without the sadness.

Her mother was horrified. "I don't know if I should send you back!" Zinnia ranted one day. "IF they can lose – LOSE – a girl, just like that (she snapped her fingers), I don't know if I should trust them with my daughter!" 

"Mom, it was a freak accident," Lily repeated. "Really. I'm learning so much…"

"Honey, there are things more important than education sometimes, and your safety is one of them! We never hear of things like this in Muggle schools…"

"Mum, please," Lily pleaded. "Please. Talk to Dumbledore; wherever he is probably the safest place in the universe, Hanneli just took a wrong turn…" It didn't make for a very pleasant vacation, and Lily was (once again) glad to receive her Hogwarts letter.

It was far heavier than usual, and a shiny Prefect badge fell out. "MUM!" Lily squealed. "MUM! I'm a Prefect! See, I have to go back now, Dumbledore's counting on me…"

"Naturally," Ann scoffed when she saw the badge gleaming on Lily's school robes, but it wasn't mean as it might have been in previous years. All of the Gryffindor girls had grown closer since Hanneli's death, and they were good friends. 

"We will begin this year with Animagi," McGonagall announced one morning. A chorus of groans greeted the message. "I know you learned about them as third-years, but there's far, far more to know, and I think you'll find them a very interesting topic. There will be an extended section on Animagi on your O.W.L.s this year –" More groans "—and so listen carefully." She changed into a cat and back again. Stunned silence reigned, then applause.

"Wow!" Lily whispered. "I mean, that's supposed to be a very complicated spell, and it can only be accomplished…"

"Shut it, Lily, we don't care," Evelyn said, then grinned. "After all, wouldn't want a DETENTION, would you?" 

For once, even Sirius was listening raptly and taking notes. James, Lily noticed with her heart fluttering, has a calculating look in his eye… GOD, JAMES, I LOVE YOU! ARE YOU BLIND?

Professor McGonagall droned on about Animagi for nearly an hour. "Jeez, she's beginning to sound like Professor Binns," Juliet finally complained.

James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter, though, found the subject fascinating. "How do you become an Animagi?" Sirius asked eagerly. "Is it hard? Do you have to be a certain age…? OUCH!" James had trod on his foot.

"Sorry," the latter muttered.

"Something's up," McGonagall said, grinning. "Sirius is being… well, serious!" 

Lily, more interested in James and _his_ strange actions, thought: You're right. Something is up. And I'm going to find out what…

James started to act oddly as well. He spent far more time in the library than ever before, along with his best friends Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Lily never told anyone that Remus was a werewolf, or that he had a crush on her, after the Whomping Willow incident. Although she occasionally wondered if James knew, she didn't even consider telling him – "What would he think of me?" and never mentioned to Remus that she was aware of the fact.

The mystery was forgotten after James and company, as everyone referred to them, began to act normal again. Lily, though, didn't let it slip from her mind. She knew far more about James than anyone thought – "Being unpopular can make you invisible better than a cloak," she mentioned to Juliet one day, and was determined to find out the purpose of his interest in Animagi.

It wasn't for only this reason that she stayed over Christmas vacation, but it was certainly a factor. It was lucky that Lily had, for she finally discovered the secret.

A few days before Christmas, Lily was the only girl in the dormitory (Ann, Juliet, and Evelyn had all gone home). James and Remus remained as well. Luckily for her, Sirius had returned for the holidays – he had an uncanny way of noticing everything, Lily included. 

"Tonight," Remus whispered to James when he thought no one was listening. "I'm feeling rather – erm – off-color. Are you ready?"

James immediately began to look a bit off-color as well. "Ready as I'll ever be," he replied, his voice shaking a bit.

"All right, Prongs, old buddy."

"Padfoot isn't going to be happy… neither is Wormtail, for that matter."

"Maybe it's better Wormtail won't be along," Remus replied in a hoarse murmur. "He has a tendency to – well, you know." 

"Screw things up?" James asked impishly. 

"Exactly. Dumbledore knows the planets. I'll meet you by the Whomping Willow at ten o'clock. Moonrise is late tonight, lucky… do you know if your antler's going to work?"

"It'd better," James replied solemnly. "It better. I'll miss Wormtail for that."

"No one knows, right?"

"No one knows, Moony. Don't be such a worrywart."

The two boys left the common room. Lily remained crouched behind the chair, thinking over what she'd heard… 

_Moonrise is late tonight… your antler's going to work… Prongs… Moony… Dumbledore knows the planets… Moonrise… moonrise… Moony… Remus…_ The pieces fell into place like lightning, and she raced to get her Astronomy book. 

It was a full moon.

All of a sudden, everything began to make sense. But it was all jumbled up, too many possibilities…

She needed to make a list.

Lily ran to the girls' dormitory with a quill and a piece of parchment. She couldn't let James know that she knew. Couldn't let James know… he had to trust her… he couldn't EVER find the parchment. 

Sucking the quill end, she began writing:

**__**

Facts

  1. Remus Lupin is a werewolf. Tonight is a full moon… therefore, he'll change tonight.

  2. James is planning something tonight, as well.

  3. They will meet at the Whomping Willow tonight, at ten o'clock.

  4. James will have an antler of some type to touch the knot.

  5. James & co. were very interested in Animagi when Pro. McG was talking about them.

  6. James is nicknamed "Prongs" and Remus is "Moony"… refers to him being a werewolf (?????) but why "Prongs?" 

  7. James and Remus will meet by the full moon.

  8. James is not stupid; he's very good at DATDA. He knows better then to be out at night, it's secret ("No one knows, right?"), with a full-grown werewolf… therefore, James will be protected in some way… and will have an antler.

  9. Prongs…antler…changing into something?

"I've got it!" Lily exclaimed, proud for have figuring it out so fast. She picked up the quill and wrote again:

Remus is a werewolf (fact). He's changing tonight. (Fact). James is going to be with him, or near him, when he changes (fact). James will have to be protected… and he was very interested in Animagi while Pro McG was talking about them (fact). James is an unregistered Animagus (?) and he's going to change into his animal… an deer, maybe… at the Whomping Willow tonight. (Hypothesis)

Lily grinned again, then suddenly the full meaning of what she'd written struck her. She muttered, "_Invisiblus!"_ and tapped the parchment, then threw it into the common room fire.

_I want to be there tonight…_ James might need me, Lily thought. Visions of her saving James's life flashed before her eyes… eternal gratitude… his kissing her face, her eyelids…

"Lilyaña!" James yelled. He'd adopted Sirius's nickname for her in their fourth year. "Hello… wake up… it's time for dinner…"

Lily blushed crimson, and ran down to the Great Hall. She hardly touched her dinner, not even aware of sitting next to James. However, she did gulp down some hot coffee with cream after the meal, screwing her face up at the taste but knowing she'd need it to stay awake. Although ten o'clock wasn't late for a fifteen-year-old girl, she knew that James and Remus could be out until the wee sma's, and she'd want to think it over after returning to bed. Most of all, she had to be wide awake and alert, so she'd make sure James wouldn't see her.

"Oh, for an Invisibility Cloak!" she moaned softly on her bed. But as that wasn't available, she settled for her richest black robes, thanking God that for once there wasn't any Christmas snow on the ground. She couldn't risk using her wand as a light – she'd just have to hope that James could provide one. She didn't even dare wear a cloak – the silver fastening would glisten, giving her away. Lily pulled her thick black velvet robes on for extra warmth, waited until she heard James slip out, then left five minutes later. 

Remus and James were congregating next to the Whomping Willow. Remus looked in pain – his face was twisted. The moon was almost completely up, he couldn't hold off the change much longer… Lily dived behind a close Herbology bush as James and Remus drew closer. As always, her heart ached as she stared at his eyes… his hair…

Lily Evans, wake up! she commanded herself. James won't think much of you if he finds you spying on him from behind a Nose-Biting Orchid Bush in the middle of the night!

"Ready," James said quietly. He winced, then took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.

The boy's face contorted with pain as antlers grew quickly out of his head… he dropped to four legs… It didn't look like this with McGonagall, Lily thought in a brief moment of panic. She wanted to run for help –- what if James was in trouble… But before she had time to rustle her way out of the orchids, he changed into a stag with a small pop… and then Remus was a wolf…

Suddenly Lily realized that she hadn't thought this through thoroughly enough. Wolves had an excellent sense of smell… and she was within five minutes of being right next to a full-sized human, vicious wolf. Pulling her robes around her, she sprinted up the castle at full speed, thankful that she'd worn her Muggle tennis shoes instead of her usual oxfords.

She was asleep in a common room chair when James and Remus returned.

* * *

The second half of the year was spent frantically studying for their O.W.L.s – Lily screamed with despair one night after mixing up Derk the Delirious and Ugg the Unclean for the one hundred and forty-seventh time. "I'LL NEVER REMEMBER ALL OF THIS!" she yelled, making Juliet jump. "And we have Charms – and Transfiguration – and I've lost all the notes we took on Animagi… and more History of Magic – let's hope Binns kicks the bucket this summer – and I don't understand those Arithmancy equations at all, and I'm way behind on my ancient runes, and what the heck is the Theory of Switch?" she concluded, slightly hysterical.

"Here, Lilyaña, you can borrow my notes," James volunteered. Lily's hysterics ended immediately; she took the parchment, trying to find enough voice to say, "Thank you."

"Anything for peace and quiet," Sirius muttered. 

"ACCIO-SENDUS!"

"Ooh… Lilyaña… you're too good with that spell," he added, rubbing his head where the pillow had smacked it.

"Don't be a wimp." Smiling again – Sirius could always make her laugh – Lily returned to an extra-complicated ancient rune.

Teachers, too, began to go over the edge as the O.W.L.s and normal end-of-term exams approached. "Really, class, you're behaving like first-years!" McGonagall snapped as Peter Pettigrew accidentally sent his wand flying at her. "I don't think you understand how important these tests really are!"

"No, probably not," Sirius agreed. 

She continued, "And I think it's time you got serious, Sirius, about this!"

The day of the O.W.L.s, Lily couldn't eat breakfast. Even Sirius's silliness couldn't make her smile. Her hand shook as she began her Magical Theory essay…

"And it's my birthday, too," she murmured in disgust. "I bet I'm the only girl in the world who has to take O.W.L.s on her birthday."

"Oh, you probably like it," Ann said as they began their Charms exam. "You're so smart…"

An unbidden memory rose in Lily's brain_: "I 'spect you'll earn us simply loads of points…"_ She was hardly recognizable as that girl. You loosened up a lot, she thought, gripping her quill. But this is IMPORTANT! Now get to work!

As usual, Lily needn't have worried. Five days later, the day of the end-of-term feast, McGonagall burst into the dormitory. "ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!" she yelped. "EXCELLENT, LILY, REALLY EXCELLENT!"

"Huh? What?" Lily had been staring at James and not really paying attention.

"Your O.W.L.s!" Evelyn explained. "You got a hundred on your O.W.L.s! Oh, my God! ONE HUNDRED!" She grabbed Lily's hands, and the two danced around the room.

"And our House average was truly fantastic!" McGonagall continued. "James Potter, you got a ninety-seven and a half!"

James took a deep bow. He and Lily were constantly competing in academics; Lily sometimes wondered if he was jealous.

The celebrations were almost endless. A hundred on the OWLs was remarkable; she returned home to more jubilation.

The rest of the wizarding world was not celebrating, however. Things were happening – Dark things – which made Hanneli's death look like cherry pie. The day that a Dark wizard destroyed the tiny town of Esthervil, Lily began hiding the _Daily Prophet_ headlines from her mother. She didn't want Zinnia getting paranoid and preventing her return to Hogwarts, keeping her at home where it was "safe…"

Except it wasn't safe. "I'm afraid there isn't a safe place left in the world anymore," Mrs. Sinistra said when Lily paid them her annual visit. She looked much older – in fact, all of the adult non-Muggles did. The times were worse than anyone was letting on, and there was no hope in sight.

"Except maybe at Hogwarts," Juliet replied cheerily. Juliet's continued cheerfulness was often Lily's only escape from a dark mood – she never let anyone feel too sorry for themselves, and was continually optimistic.

"Yes, true," Mrs. Sinistra replied. "And you'll be there in two weeks, thank God."

But even Hogwarts wasn't impenetrable, as Lily soon learned. She'd returned to Hogwarts in high spirits, fully ready for a sixth year – going in with one hundred percent on the O.W.L.s and as a prefect for the second year in a row. Everyone was sure that she'd be Head Girl, and James Head Boy. Dumbledore's speech after the Sorting was different, though.

"Welcome back to another year," he began. "It is my sad duty to tell you that a number of students are missing from our ranks this year (gasps circulated). They are not dead, although some of their family members are – they have simply gone abroad where it was "safer". When times improve, it is everyone's hope that they will return.

"I'm sure that many of you know about the horrible Esthervil tragedy in late August, where an entire village was cursed and more than three-quarters of the inhabitants were killed by a Dark Wizard. In these times, it is more important than ever to remain loyal to each other as a school. There will be an extra hour of Defense Against the Dark Arts added to your school weeks.

"I have but one word to say: ENJOY!"

Platters of food appeared, the babbling began, and the more serious topics were abandoned.

But not forgotten – Dumbledore made an announcement the next week after lunch. "Would all of the fifth-year students and up stay after for about five minutes?" the headmaster asked. "I won't keep them long."

"What's going on?" Lily asked Sirius. "Are we all failing or something?" 

"Not you, Lilyaña." He grinned. "Never you."

Dumbledore cleared his throat, and a light silence fell over the Great Hall. "By now, I'm sure you all know about the terrible destruction at Esthervil. 

"Only an hour ago, there was another such violent act, in the town of Nurville. The village is, quite frankly, in ruins. At Hogwarts, we want you to grow up to be good citizens, as well as good wizards. You are old enough to be responsible –" Dumbledore fixed his twinkling eye on them – "and I am proud to say that there is not one person here whom I distrust.

"There will be a 'clean-up' mission to Nurville tomorrow. Prefects, I strongly recommend that you come – for others, it is optional.

"The trip will last approximately two weeks, depending on the extent of the damage. Let me make myself clear: _it is not for the faint of heart. _You _will_ have to give things up. You _will_ see suffering. You _will not_ be comfortable all the time. You may very well be in danger.

"You will do everything from medical to psychological to plain elbow-grease work. It won't be fun all the time. There will be shortened academic classes in the morning; you will camp out.

"It will be a _learning experience_. Students learn more on these mission trips than they do in Hogwarts.

"See myself, or Professors Kerli or McGonagall, if you wish to take part."

"Are you going?" Lily asked Juliet.

"Dunno, I might. Are you?"

"Probably." A whole week – at least! -- with James.

"Camping isn't what you think." Juliet smiled. "We aren't Muggles, after all."

She wouldn't explain the cryptic remark any further, no matter how much Lily begged.

Amazingly, nearly all of the Gryffindor sixth-years went. Remus declined, saying that he was feeling ill. (Lily knew better; she was second only to Juliet in her Astronomy class. There would be a full moon.) Peter decided to stay with James, and in one panicky moment Lily thought James would stay as well.

"Don't give it up for me, Prongs," she overheard Remus begging. "Wormtail and I will have fun. Come on, go if you want to…" and James went.

Lily packed warm clothes, glad that she'd thought to buy wool robes in Diagon Alley. It was frigid for September, and she didn't want to freeze to death. Juliet, on the other hand, packed everyday robes. Lily had a nasty feeling that her friend wasn't telling her something.

Suitcases packed, Lily rose at five-thirty a.m. the next day, only to wait, impatiently, for four hours. Gryffindor was the last group to leave Hogwarts, as Professor McGonagall had booked a late Portkey. (Dumbledore was to be teaching Transfiguration in McGonagall's absence, and Professor Hemlock was covering Defense Against the Dark Arts along with her usual subject of Potions.) 

"Is everyone here?" McGonagall asked frantically, stacking suitcases and checking off names. "Black – Evans – Fitzgerald –oh, where IS she? Ann Fitzgerald – oh, there you are. Gardener – Potter – Sinistra. All right, the Portkey's the aluminum can – no, that one – yes, all right, let's go…"

A few seconds later, Lily thought that she'd been knocked silly by the abrupt journey. She was standing in a clearing with fifty or more Hogwarts students, surrounded by Hufflepuffs, and clutching a battered Coca-Cola can.

"The camp's over here!" Ruth Sprout, a seventh-year Hufflepuff, hollered. "No – there – by the Finger-Snapping Oak Bush."

Lily frowned in disbelief. The "campsite" consisted of two medium-sized tents and a fire pit. "And we're all supposed to fit in here?"

"Come in!" Juliet yelled from inside one of the tents, labeled "Girls." Lily lifted the flap, and –

--was standing inside the entryway of a spacious house. "Wow!"

"We're upstairs!" called Juliet. "The blue room!" Sure enough, a card on the door read, "Evans, Sinistra, Johnston."

"What do you think?" Teresa asked, flopping down onto a bed. "Pretty nice, huh?"

"You can say that again," Lily replied, unpacking. 

"Enjoy it while you can," McGonagall called. "Tomorrow the REAL work begins."

The next morning, Lily was unpleasantly awakened at seven-thirty by Professor McGonagall shaking her violently. "Miss Evans!"

"What?" Lily asked, discombobulated. What had happened? What was Professor McGonagall doing in the dormitory? 

"Rise and shine," the professor answered grimly. "Time to get up, eat breakfast, _vite, vite!_" 

Lily grumblingly rose, pulled on wool robes, and began to prepare her breakfast.

The students returned to their "campsite" that night as changed people. Lily had never really seen the darker side of the wizarding world; she'd lived, protected, with loving parents and was sheltered at Hogwarts during the year. She didn't think about wizards being poor, about wizards suffering. Juliet's family wasn't well off, but they were comfortable enough. But these people were sad beyond her very belief. She'd seen houses that humans were proud to live in burned to a crisp, or destroyed – leaving only dust behind. She'd seen sinuous roads that should have been paved with gold blown to pieces. She'd seen wizards that were probably financially well-off groveling in the dirt for a piece of bread. She'd seen buildings that should have filled with the redolence of perfume and baking bread smelling like sewage and filth.

  
"How do you like this taste of life?" McGonagall asked grimly. "It's not what you're used to, is it? Tomorrow you start working."

The next morning, the students rose again at five-thirty. No one complained; they felt guilty complaining after what they'd seen yesterday. Breakfast was cooked on the stove inside, and Lily filled a satchel with bread and peanut butter before she ventured into the town.

"All right," McGonagall said severely, counting heads. "Your assignments are as so. Evans, Sinistra, Potter, Diggory, Kerli – you're on medical duty. Black, Clearwater, Tolstoy, Johnston, you're salvaging from the ruins with me. Gardener, Fitzgerald, Mallet, Wouk, Connelly, and Smith – take as many people as you can and bring them here. We'll set up makeshift medical tents now. Everyone except the medical team, help Gardener, Fitzgerald, Smith, etc. Medical team, stay behind to help prepare."

McGonagall was so commanding that no one dared to argue. Even though she was working side-by-side with James, Lily hardly noticed. She helped charm the poles into the ground, wind bandages, set up potions, and make beds. They'd only just finished one tent when the people started arriving…

They were a motley crew. Some were in silk robes, some in working clothes, others in nightgowns. Those that were injured often had festering wounds. The townspeople had fled if they could; the wounded were left behind. It was a pitiful picture, and Lily felt tears in her eyes. None of this nonsense, please, she told herself strictly. You can't help them by crying over them.

By noon, Lily was exhausted, as were Juliet, James, and Amos Diggory. Lily had been doing simple Cleaning Charms all day, treating minor wounds and doing some plain old Muggle bandage-wrapping. James had been dealing with the more serious injuries; Juliet had brewed cauldrons full of potion. "I really can't stand Severus Snape," Professor Kerli said, talking about a sixth-year who'd declined to come, "but I wish he was here to mix potions!" Amos had been helping her to clean up a particularly difficult injury, and they were all frustrated.

"No time for talk," the woman added. "Lily, would you…"

Half an hour later, Amos Diggory made the mistake of asking if they could take a break for lunch.

"Break for lunch," Kerli said quietly. "Break for lunch. Do you think these injuries are going to 'break for lunch,' too? Do you think the destruction, the suffering here will stop for lunch? We may stop in a few minutes. It looks like we've patched up the worst of it… oh, my God, what is that?" A girl of Lily's age had been carried in on a stretcher. Her whole leg was red and raw, as if it had been stuck into fire and burned. The girl's face was scarred and twisted with pain. "Evans. Potter. This is an emergency."

Lily quickly poured a potion for dreamless sleep down the girl's throat – they had no one to administer anesthesia. James, meanwhile, began re-creating skin with another potion and some tricky Transfiguration. Cleaning Charms were used in abundance, and as the leg gradually became less burned-looking, James grew paler and paler.

If she hadn't been so tired, Lily never would have done it. Her mind was fogged from sleep, and she forgot to be in awe of James. Taking a deep, deep breath, she muttered a Strengthening Charm.

James looked at her like he was seeing her for the first time. "Thanks," he muttered, then did the charm on her.

As the girl's leg healed, Lily realized that her patient was feverish. She quickly began working spells to bring the fever down, it would be brain-damaging in a minute – but she was so tired, so weak – it was too high, too high – she wanted to yell to James for help, but her mouth wouldn't work – she had to save this unknown girl – she tried to charm the fever out again –

  
Then she blacked out.

The next thing Lily Evans knew, James was giving her Strengthening Charms, his face ashen. "No – James –" Lily struggled to sit up. "I'm fine."

"You're not 'fine,'" Professor Kerli said. "You collapsed in the middle of a spell." Her face was creased with concern; she looked older. Everyone looked older. 

"The girl – she's feverish –"

"Potter has it under control. Planets above, it's nearly three o'clock. James, I'm surprised you didn't collapse as well – we haven't eaten since this morning. We need a break. We have that girl so that she won't fall apart if we turn our backs. But I don't want to go into the campsite for food –"

"I'm stupid!" Lily exclaimed. "Peanut butter… in my bag…."

Kerli quickly made a sandwich from the bread and peanut butter, and the students wolfed it down noiselessly. "WheresAmoshesgone?" Lily asked around a mouthful.

"Speak up, Lily!"

"Where's Amos gone?"

"He went to fetch more wounded," Juliet said from her post on the floor. She wasn't as exhausted as the rest. Stirring potion was hardly arduous work, but it was needed. 

The injured girl turning over in bed interrupted their conversation. "I think she's waking up," Kerli said quickly, finishing her food. "We need to question her. Miss Evans, would you do that." It wasn't a question.

Lily walked over to the bed. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Better than I did. Are you all right? I heard you keel over."

"I'm fine, thanks," Lily answered, surprised. "Who are you?"

"I'm –" The girl paused. "I'm Chelsea Grisham." 

"I'm Lily Evans. What happened?"

  
Chelsea screwed up her nose and winced. "Yesterday morning, I was in bed, and I heard people screaming. I ran downstairs, and my mum and dad were getting ready to leave town fast. I can't Apparate, so I was about to go by Floo Powder, when… well… somebody had other ideas."

"Who?" Lily asked urgently. "I know you've just woken up, but we need to get this information to Dumbledore."

"Get an owl ready," Kerli said. "If you can handle this on your own, I need to go set up classrooms and get McGonagall… we're not on holiday, you know!"

"There was this man, in a long cloak, and he yelled – something. Curio, or something."

"Crucio?" James inquired. "That's one of the Unforgivable Curses!"

"And then, everything hurt, so much, and there was this bright green light, and he said…" Chelsea's voice grew hushed. "He said the Killing Curse."

"And…" 

"And I was out of range, thank God, or he thought I was dead already, I don't know. And then I woke up, and I was here."

Lily scribbled the information down and sent the owl off.

Chelsea, like most of their patients, recovered very quickly. She joined her parents in Bath the next week and the "Hospital Ward" was closed, since the patients had recuperated.

That didn't mean that the students' work was over. They had shortened academic classes every morning, then joined the townspeople in helping to rebuild houses. 

"Where are all the child-child-children?" Lily inquired, around a yawn, after their third such day.

"They're mostly at Dovecote. The ones you see are Squibs, or are on holiday for some reason," Professor Kerli answered, yawning herself. 

"Dovecote? Oh, I read about that in **An Appraisal of Magical Education in Great Britain**! But I thought it was just an elementary school," Lily replied as she splashed cold water on her face.

"No, they take secondary as well, although they're the main supplier of our Hogwarts students. It's a day school for the ones who live around here – many of the Esthervil children attended Dovecote, and some of the people from here took cover there." The professor's face looked sad. "It's just horrible that things like this have to happen," she muttered.

An image of Chelsea flashed before Lily's eyes. "Yes, it is," she replied, and the answer was heartfelt.

In their third week, gastric 'flu struck. Lily, as one of the few who wasn't ill, found herself doing triple-duty: attending classes taught by seventh-year students or professors who weren't sick, doing ordinary work like house rebuilding, and caring for the sick. She became expert at spreading peanut butter on crackers – often all that she had time to eat – but the accomplishment gave her no satisfaction when she stared into the fevered eyes of her classmates and teachers. The flu was a particularly nasty strain, and those who were assisting went without sleep while they nursed. Juliet, Professor McGonagall, Sirius, and James were the most badly struck: Lily was spending all of her time monitoring their fevers and making sure that they didn't go too high. The fantastic potion-brewers were sick, and so they were reverting to more natural, herbal cures – and hope.

The four who had been the sickest took a ninety-degree turn for the worse on Saturday. "We need to go to Dumbledore if this keeps up," Kerli said. They finally were waking up, fevers dropping, when the owl came.

__

Return to Hogwarts, the note read. _It's been a month; Madam Pomfrey wants your sick._ Lily was extensively disappointed: the work had been hard, but satisfying, and she'd fallen more in love with James than ever before. She liked the shortened academic classes and even the rising at five-thirty and falling into bed at half-past ten, too tired to talk. She liked working side by side, all day long, with people that she knew she'd never see in the same way again. She liked recording everything in her journal at night, trying to make it interesting. She didn't want to go back to Hogwarts, where she'd be at the bottom of the caste system again… didn't want to concentrate on revising for the NEWTs, didn't want to study all day anymore.

Sadly enough, they had to go back. "We are grateful to all of these students," Dumbledore said in a speech that would later become famous. "They have helped the helpless, mended the wounded. I hope that some of you had the sense to record this."

That was when Lily pulled out her camera and took it to a Hogsmeade shop to be developed. When she opened the prints, the girl drew in her breath with shock. There was the school, blinking solemnly, as Dumbledore announced Hanneli's death… there she was, grinning and leaping about as Professor McGonagall announced the O.W.L. results… there were the pictures she'd taken of James when he thought she didn't have her camera. And there were the pictures from the mission trip, of Chelsea with her torn leg and the burned-out buildings.

She tied them all with ribbon and delivered them, unnamed, to Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic. Whether they would receive them was anyone's guess, but she knew that WAS Hogwarts in these childish photos… and they weren't meant for Muggles or for laughing, admiring classmates. These were history. 

They continued to struggle through joys and sorrows of being sixth-years at Hogwarts. Christmas came; Christmas went… Easter came, Easter went… nothing happened, and possibly because of that Lily remembered the second term of her sixth year as one of the most pleasant times she spent at Hogwarts. They parted at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, but it wasn't the sad parting it had been once. Hogwarts life was more stable. The Dark Arts were still rising, but for the moment, no one took any notice.

Lily's seventh year was about to begin when another envelope arrived by owl after the Hogwarts letter. 

__

Dear Miss Evans, it read. _We are delighted to announce that you are Hogwarts's new Head Girl for the years 1968-1969. Congratulations!_

Lily let out a whoop of joy: the joyful timbre rang throughout the house. Everyone had assumed that Lily would be Head Girl, but she'd had her doubts.

_I wonder if James is Head Boy…_

James Potter was Head Boy, and, because of their status, they danced together (the first dance) at the Yule Ball. Evelyn glared jealously, and James gave a longing glance in her direction. _James, I love you so much, if Evelyn makes you happier than I will, you have my blessing. _It was hard to be upset about anything as they floated around the floor – one dance with James – one with Remus – one with Peter – two with Sirius – two with James – another with Peter – one with a sixth-year boy… 

Lily scored record-high on her NEWTs (which, true to their name, were nastily exhausting) and read over the paper with a sickening feeling that she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. The Ministry would be a good start – although teaching History of Magic would be nice (Professor Binns had finally died, but his ghost continued to teach). Finally, at one o'clock in the morning on graduation day, Lily realized that the only thing she knew she wanted was James… the one thing she couldn't have.

The next morning, parents and seventh-years assembled on the castle greens for the graduation ceremony. Sixth-years and below watched in reverent silence.

"This is a very special group you see here today," Dumbledore began, his sonorous voice resounding. "In here, we have seen unexpected bravery – remarkable intelligence – devoted friendship – amazing Quidditch talent. Now, one might say that is seen in every class. This one is different.

"We lost one from our number when these students were fifteen. She made a remarkable sacrifice. I request a moment of silence now, to remember Hanneli Aaron and the offering she made.

"We lost a great soul when Hanneli was so brave. She was an excellent Seer, a charming young girl, and a devoted friend.

"But today is not for sobbing over the dead. Those we love never truly leave us, and I believe that Hanneli's spirit is sitting in that empty chair. Today is for celebrating the living. I would like to congratulate each and every student on making it this far without being expelled or fed to a Bang-Ended Scoot." The man chuckled, and the audience laughed appreciatively. "Everyone here today has made remarkable achievements. We've seen amazing talent on the Quidditch pitch these eight years – from all Houses. Lily Evans scored ninety-eight percent on her NEWTs and one hundred on her O.W.L.s. James Potter scored ninety-eight on his O.W.L.s and ninety-five on his NEWTs." Lily blushed.

"As we are gathered here, I am reminded of something our old History of Magic teacher, Professor Elen, once said: 'People do not live through history. They suffer through it.' Everyone here has suffered through their own personal history. They are amazing witches and wizards; I am proud of every student here today.

"There's no doubt about it – times are getting darker. You have seen this with your own eyes. Dark demagogues are coming into power; these next few years will be dangerous. I'm proud to admit that these students have a bond that will not break." He fixed the audience with his sparkling eyes. "It is stronger than the strongest material, because it is forged of sorrow. Let us keep that bond sacred, and all live happily ever after."

Dumbledore motioned for the wizards to stand up; tears coursed down Lily's face as "Pomp and Circumstance" played. She'd spent the best eight years of her life inside those castle walls – was there anything to look forward to now?

James saw her crying – he looked sad as well, she realized with a start. Nearly the whole class was in various states of lamentation. 

"Congratulations, Lily," Remus said with a grin.

"Thanks."

"Congrats, Prongs, old friend. We made it!"

James started a chant: "WE MADE IT!"

* * *

Lily applied for a job at the Ministry that next week; she was in the department of International Magical Relations and found it very interesting. She went abroad to different wizarding schools, sometimes teaching them a new charm – she was so involved in her work that a year passed without her even realizing it.

And then she was working her way through the Ministerial hierarchy, and another year went by – this one packed with visits to France and Germany, America and Japan. Petunia married Vernon Dursley that year, and she was not invited to the wedding.

_I know you hate me,_ she wrote, _but I am beaming good thoughts to you. Many blessings on you and Vernon. Lovingly, Lily_

Juliet kept in touch – she was working in Hogsmeade and applying for a post as the Astronomy teacher at Hogwarts. In fact, it was Juliet who sent her an owl on Lily's twenty-third birthday:

__

18 May 1974

Lily – Hi! Sorry I've been out of touch for a little while. You're coming to the reunion tomorrow, right? It'll be a blast—the whole "old crowd" from Gryffindor is coming – it's just us! I think a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs might be along, too. It took me a while to convince Dumbledore; he's usually a "don't look back" sort of man. But we're having a five year reunion – can't believe it's been five years! See you soon! Love ya, Juliet

She nearly dropped the letter. A reunion? She'd never heard anything. Oh well –much too busy, anyway. She was Secretary of International Magic by then, and didn't have time for reunions… after all; tomorrow that fifty-eight-page report on "The State of Magic in Third-World Countries" was due to the Minister.

And then, as if in a vision, she saw Hogwarts again… was dancing at that fateful Yule Ball when Davies became minister… was hugging Hanneli goodbye at Christmas, never to see her again… was sitting in Charms class, performing that strengthening charm… she was watching James transform. The thought of him didn't make her stomach flip, or even quiver – she thought fondly of James, but that was it. He was probably married to Evelyn, anyway. All of a sudden, she was homesick: she wanted to see him, and see Juliet, to hear Sirius call her "Lilyaña" again, to see McGonagall and Dumbledore, and Evelyn –

I have time for this, she thought, grabbing a suitcase and rushing to take the next Portkey to Hogsmeade.

A few seconds later, Juliet was frantically embracing her. "Where WERE you?" her friend asked, grinning. "We thought you didn't want to come…"

"Nah… I think your owl got lost." Lily's grin matched Juliet's. 

"Never!" the other protested, and they spent half an hour catching up on their lives. "What, not married yet?" Lily teased.

"Nah…" Juliet's eyes looked shadowed all of a sudden, and Lily realized that she must not be seeing Sirius anymore.

"And we all know who you're waiting on," Juliet bounced back.

Lily blushed. "Look, that was five years ago, OK? I'm over him!"

"Sure you are. I've got to go for now – I've got one more Astronomy class to teach before dinner. See you later!"

She hadn't been gone for five minutes when a tall, handsome man with untidy dark hair and fog-gray eyes walked up to Lily. The girl felt suddenly self-conscious. She knew that she hardly resembled her Hogwarts self: her red hair had softened and become less violent, and it was tied back in a bun… a few curls hung on the sides of her face, and her eyes had also faded from emerald to olive. But who was this? Sirius? Then she looked into his eyes, and she knew…

"Um… are you Ann?" The voice was the same, the smile was the same… but Lily didn't feel the usual jump of her heart. James was nice, and she'd like to talk to him again, but she didn't feel as if she wanted to scream, "James! Hold me! Kiss me! I love you!" 

"No. I'm Lily," she replied, smiling. "Ann couldn't make it."

"Lily… Evans?" James looked like his eyes were going to pop out of his head. "From Gryffindor? Head Girl?"

"Um… yes… that's me…"

The awkward moment ended when Juliet came bouncing over. "Just had to rescue a first-year from falling off of the Astronomy tower," she said with a grin. "My day's over—want to get the others and go for a Butterbeer?"

Affirmatives were voiced, and James scurried off to get the other Gryffindors. He returned with three others a few minutes later – a tall woman with short-cropped brown hair, a man in tattered robes with light brown hair that was going gray, and someone who could only be Sirius Black. Greetings were exchanged, and the six started to stroll towards Hogsmeade. The evening was beautiful – the sun was spreading streaks of red-gold light across the cloudless sky and the air was warm with just a hint of a breeze. When they reached the edge of the Hogwarts grounds, and began muttering the spell for Apparation, Juliet cut them off in the middle. "Look, it's beautiful here, it's only about a half-mile to Hogsmeade – why bother to Apparate? Let's just walk. We can catch up on old times…"

"All right, all right," Sirius replied with a grin. "Point taken. We'll walk." A unanimous decision was made; no one really wanted to Apparate.

"That wedding of yours was _dreamy_," Juliet said, then smiled. "Listen to me. I sound like a third-year Hufflepuff trying to be romantic." 

Her comment was covered up, though, as everyone asked, "You're _married?_"

Evelyn laughed at the looks on the group's faces. "I married Jonathan English last year," she replied, and at the blank looks she received, "He's a year older than us, he was in Gryffindor, and… well, he's in something at the Ministry – I'm never sure what." 

Evelyn? Married? Now that she thought about it, Lily remembered getting an invitation and hastily throwing it to one side as she Apparated to America. For the umpteenth time, she thought, I really need to change my job. I never have time for anything anymore.

"But I always thought you liked _me_!" Sirius said, sounding hurt.

"Padfoot, old buddy, you just can't get over the fact that every female within a hundred miles hasn't fallen madly in love with you," Lupin answered.

Juliet blushed.

"Do you remember the first Yule Ball?" Evelyn asked with a giggle. "We thought we were so grown-up!"

"What I remember is Davies winning Minister of Magic!" 

"And the time that Chris Anders had his finger bitten by a Finger-Snapping Oak, and when he was gone, Sirius cursed everybody?"

"That was so funny!"

"Remember when we all passed our exams?" James asked. 

"How could I forget?" Lily pulled a faded remnant out of her pocket. "I made a scrapbook of Hogwarts with those pictures I took, and I found this today." In girlish handwriting, the words "Polyjuice potion?" scribbled on it. "I passed this to Juliet that day."

"I'd forgotten about that!"

"Gilderoy Lockhart is quite famous now," Evelyn remarked. "Best-selling author and all that." 

"I don't believe a word he's written," Lupin scoffed.

"He's still a brainless git."

At the words "brainless git," Juliet started. "Oh – I forgot to tell you. Severus Snape is going to be Potions professor next year. Hemlock's retiring."

"She is?" and "SEVERUS SNAPE?" mingled with the heavy scent of honeysuckle as they sipped their drinks outside.

"Snape?" asked Lupin.

"Remember – really _oily_ Slytherin, always blaming stuff on somebody else."

"I always thought that he'd be teaching Defense one day," he commented.

"Yeah – so did I –"

"Well, it's no secret, he's just using this to get into Hogwarts, he'll take that post eventually."

They chatted for a while longer, then Juliet said, "I've got to get back to Hogwarts for my late-night third-year class. Anybody coming?"

"Sure."

"Why not."

"Oy, Madam Rosemerta!" James laid down a few Galleons. 

The six got up to leave. Evelyn and Remus said their good-byes and Apparated home, promising to "meet at the Three Broomsticks 

An hour later, dressed in fresh robes, they accompanied Juliet to the Astronomy tower. As she was lecturing on the positions of different stars and their relationship to Divination, Lily felt herself falling asleep. 

She awoke as Juliet was finishing by saying, "And Sibyll Trelawney wouldn't approve of any of this…" a few snickers "…so don't tell her!" She then began to say something about labeling different stars, but said, "I have a better idea. Sirius, get up here!"

As Sirius was pointing out the Dog Star with a grin, James and Lily began discussing more Hogwarts memories. "I was dancing with you when Davies became Minister, remember?"

"How could I forget?" At the questioning look James gave her, she asked, "You mean you never knew?"

"Knew what?" He was truly puzzled, she could tell.

"I had a tremendous crush on you from about third-year on!"

"You did?" James asked incredulously, brushing his dark hair out of his eyes. 

"Yes! You mean you never saw me staring lovesickly at you in History of Magic? I practically memorized the back of your head!"

"I guess I thought you were just… bored…" James grinned. "I mean, you never talked to me or anything!"

"James, have you forgotten school so fast? I didn't think you even knew I was alive!"

"Well…" James looked embarrassed. "I'm not sure if I did. I'm sorry."

"No, you didn't. You were always polite, but I was really a walking, talking encyclopedia. And I know it."

He looked at her.

"Oh – apology accepted."

About then, they realized that they were alone on the tower. The class had left.

"Juliet did this," Lily said positively. "She's always wanted to 'set us up.'"

"Things are different now," James replied; Lily realized that his thoughts were miles away from her last sentence. "I never really thought you thought very much of me… why didn't anyone ever tell me you liked me?"

"I was embarrassed to death to even be talking to you! James, are you completely blind?"

"Oh," the young man stammered, looking embarrassed himself.

"I always thought you'd make fun of me," she continued. 

"You mean – you had a crush on me for four years, and nobody ever said ANYTHING?"

"Guess not."

"Look, Lily, I thought more of you than you thought I did," he said, sounding uncomfortable. "Not – that – way or anything," he added hastily. "But I admired you, and, well, I guess we were too wrapped up in our own little worlds."

"I guess we were." Lily's face was warm. "And that time that we were in Nurville, and you did that Strengthening Charm on me, I was too ashamed to even look at you for about six weeks. But the fantasies I made up sometimes…"

"Yes?"

"Mostly they involved you kissing me passionately after I nearly died." She laughed. "They were horribly cliched. I think just about every girl's imagined something like that before."

James suddenly leaned down and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Don't fall off the tower or anything," he cautioned.

Lily laughed again, unaware of the fact that her face had changed color to match her hair. "That was a long time ago, James. You notice I'm not shaking with embarrassment to be talking to you now. I'm not crazily in love with you anymore. But I used to make SUCH a fool of myself – following you around everywhere – I probably looked like a sick cow."

James laughed. She loved making him laugh, making him smile. It was so good to be "grown-up" and not have to be a sheepish fourth-year any longer.

Their romantic moment was interrupted by footsteps on the stairs. "Get down from there at once!" McGonagall's sharp voice yelled. 

"I have this sudden feeling that I'm a first-year again, and feeling The Wrath of McGonagall," James whispered. Lily nodded.

"Miss Evans! Mr. Potter! I would have expected better!" McGonagall suddenly looked confused. "Miss Evans? Mr. Potter? What are you doing up here?"

"Nothing," they said together, then, laughing, the two scuttled off of the tower and into the hallway.

"I suppose I can't subtract any points," the professor said, shaking her head with a small chuckle, and returning to bed.

* * *

"Lil, what is wrong with you?" Angie Simons, Lily's new secretary, said two weeks after she returned to a new job – at a new post, in southern England. "You've been so dreamy lately – Lily, I don't think you've heard a word I said!"

Lily was suddenly reminded of another conversation, another world, but the same lines: "Honestly, Lily, I don't think you've heard…"

"C'mon, Lil, what's going on?" Angie coaxed. "You can tell me."

"No, I can't," Lily said, trying to force her escaping hair back into her bun. "Because I'm not sure what's going on myself." She didn't think she was in love with James anymore, but why did his face suddenly flash in front of her eyes when she was trying to concentrate on learning Mandarin Chinese? Why did her head suddenly replay their conversation, his husky "Things are different now?" Why did she carefully fold up his letters – he'd started writing to her – and keep them in her desk drawer instead of sorting them into piles like all of her other correspondences? 

She picked up the letters and read through them again, hoping to find the secret:

__

1 June 1974

Hey, Lilyaña,

How are you? I'm fine. You might be seeing a little more of me soon – I'm being transferred to a branch near where you work! On the other hand, didn't you say you were going to try to be transferred yourself? Let me know.

Everything's fabulous here. I heard from Juliet the other day – I think she's seeing Sirius again. Aren't you glad we had that reunion?

The funniest thing happened the other day. Do you remember Arthur Weasley – Adam's brother? Well, he showed up absolutely steaming at the ears! Seems that they'd had a bit of trouble – someone had enchanted one of those brand-new Muggle "computers," and he had the strangest idea in his head that Sirius and I did the job. Wish I'd thought of doing it – bet it was really funny – but no, I didn't. By the way, he (Arthur) is getting married next week. Are you coming to the wedding? Adam invited me. The bride's Molly Pierson – Christina Pierson's sister. She graduated before we got there.

I wish I could tell you more of what happened at work, it's really funny -- but a lot of it's top-secret. You work internationally, right? Then you know about the rise of the Dark Arts all over the world. And it seems – this is the scary part – it seems like it's centered **right around here**. We're in for some dark times, like Dumbledore said.

Why don't you Apparate down and see me sometime? There's a great restaurant around here called The Hag's Front Tooth. Plus, Horizaunt Alley's put in a new Florean Fortescue's! Maybe we could meet for lunch. Let me know what you think.

James Potter

3 June 1974

James –

You should see some of the things that happen around here! Yesterday a large white elephant with wings appeared in the middle of the offices on the top level. The work crews finally patched up the floor yesterday. It seems that the elephant was a gift from the Supreme Warlock of India in exchange for some good deed the Minister did… Honestly, if working around here wasn't so hysterical, I think I'd go mad. Will you visit me at St. Mungo's? 

More seriously, you're right about the Dark Arts. Japan had a massive earthquake last week, NOT originating from natural causes. I didn't sleep for two days trying to get cleanup squads over there. 

Sure, I'll join you at The Hag's Front Tooth next week! Just drop me a line with the time.

Lily "Lilyaña" Evans

15 June 1974

Dear Lilyaña,

Of course I'll visit you at St. Mungo's! Mostly just for a laugh (don't kill me!) because you're usually so TOGETHER… seeing you nuts will be a refreshing breath of air. Sirius always upheld you were insane. Never saw why until last year at that reunion. Have you always been crazy, or has this just developed?

Do you want me to send you a nutty magic carpet bearing a partridge in a pear tree just to create some excitement?

Meet you at the Hag's at noon on Friday, OK?

À bientôt,

James

22 June 1974

Hello James –

Thanks for the great lunch. You didn't really need to pay for it, though.

There's no need to send me anything unusual! We've got enough to do as it is! I'm going to be transferred to International Experimental Charms next week – I'm migrating south! Hope to see you soon!

Bye for now,

Lilyaña

22 June 1974

Dear Lily,

That's great news! I can't wait! 

Adios,

James

Lily smiled a tiny half-smile and laid down the letters. Nothing romantic about them, just friendly correspondences, but why did she think she was falling in love with him? Because she was falling in love with him. Every letter she got made her love him more…

Lily Evans, stop mooning over James! she told herself fiercely. He's a great friend, you're enjoying his company, but that's it! Remember what happened last time?

__

1 July 1974

Dear James,

It's really silly to keep writing to you when I see you nearly every day – finally we have some time to Apparate for lunch! – but I like getting your letters. You always wrote better than I did.

Remember the reunion in May, when we got caught on the Astronomy tower? Lily paused. How could she tell James that she thought she was falling in love with him (again) without wrecking their precious friendship? _Things really are different now, aren't they? We aren't the same people we used to be. Thank God._

Well, I amazingly don't have any anecdotes – we're having some down-time this week. I'm really happy. Although there was a problem – Mundungus Fletcher, remember him? He's an Auror now, and he showed up yesterday with bright green skin. I had to reverse it – Angie was busy. 

Something else funny happened yesterday. I got an anonymous box of chocolates signed from a "secret admirer." You wouldn't know anything about that, would you? You've been known to send things as a joke. Seems more like Sirius, though. Or it's maybe "Fudge from Fudge" – he sends us stuff sometimes.

Au revoir,

Lily

Lily apprehensively posted the letter with her new owl, Montagne, and hoped that James wouldn't think she was being too forward with that hint about the chocolates. She thought they **were** probably from Cornelius Fudge, who often sent chocolates to his underlings.

Then no word came from James, and Lily was getting frustrated. Did he really not think anything of her? Was he just playing around? When she asked at his office, she was informed that he was transferred to America for an indefinite amount of time.

She finally resorted to writing to Sirius, asking if he knew where James was, using the excuse that she was travelling to America and wanted to drop in on him. Sirius replied that no, he didn't know where James was, and he was getting a bit worried that something had happened to him.

"Angie," Lily said the next week, "you're efficient, you're a good secretary, I need an assistant. Could you please run the office for the next two days – I have an emergency trip to America to make."

"Lily, what's going on?" Angie asked. "There's something wrong – you look really worried. Haven't you been sleeping well?"

Lily almost laughed. That was so typically Angie, she thought. Everything had a simple solution.

"It's not that," she replied, her voice quivering. She was unaware of the strain she was showing. 

"Lily, what is it?"

"Well," she began, "there's this boy named James Potter, and I had a huge crush on him at Hogwarts. And I told him that at the reunion last year, and we talked, and we got to be friends. And he started writing to me, and I wrote back." She pulled out the huge pile of letters; all were signed 'James.' "And then I thought I was falling in love with him again, and so I kept writing to him, but I didn't say anything. Except I hinted, in my last letter.

"And then I waited for a reply, and nothing happened, and James is working for the Light Side, and he hasn't written back and it's been six months and I'm afraid something has happened to him, and I'm going to see if he's alive." Lily sniffed, fully aware that she was on the verge of tears. "Because, if he's not, and I never told him I loved him – but if he is, and he doesn't care anything about me, he could have kept writing, but they were just friendly letters, I mean, there was nothing personal in them… And – God! – I love him so much!

Angie put a comforting arm around her co-worker and friend. "I don't know if I'd rather he was dead or alive, dead and loving me, or alive and thinking I'm dirt!" Lily sobbed in conclusion.

"I'm sure he doesn't think that about you," Angie replied. "But nothing good's happening anywhere now, and you're right to go look for him. Just go on, and I'll take over until you're back." 

Lily smiled a wavering smile. "If he is in trouble… and I get caught up in it… well, I appreciate this, Angie. You're sweet to do this for me."

She posted a quick owl to Juliet, then ate lunch, changed into her prettiest robes, and Apparated.

Lily landed, discombobulated, in the middle of a packed alleyway. Brushing a few red strands back, wishing that she had time to _really_ do her hair, she glanced about, trying to figure out if this was the wizarding world or the parallel Muggle city. She noted a shop with a broom hanging out in front, advertising "Transportation for Witches on the Go!" and "Wonderful Wands for Witches and Wizards" with a smile. Obviously she'd catapulted into one of the many 'side-views' of an American city.

Trying to take in the huge crowds of people – now that the aftereffects of Apparation had left her alone, she noticed that they were all wearing robes in different, vibrant shades – and fix her loose hair at the same time, Lily was hit with a sudden sense of hopelessness. The United States was a big place, filled with millions of witches and wizards: how was she supposed to locate a man who might not want to be located?

Then she realized that the wizards and witches must be mobbing for some reason other than the fact that they just enjoyed taking a stroll at high noon on Wednesday, in the middle of… well… a street in a hidden wizarding town. (Lily also realized that she had no idea what state she was in, let alone what street she was on.)

"Excuse me," she asked, tapping a witch on the shoulder, "I've just Apparated in – could you kindly tell me exactly where I am?"

The witch laughed. "Under a strain?" she queried teasingly. "Usually you know where you Apparate to." Lily made herself laugh with the other woman. "You're in Tucson, on Diurn Alley."

Lily thanked the woman and moved about in the crowd, trying to discover the source of the uproar. She found the center of the excitement at a small newsstand. Magazines and newspapers were displayed on a small cart; the cover pictures were moving. She glanced at the cover of "TIME-turner" and saw the headline: "Prisoners Released from Florida Fort!" Shaking her head to clear it, she glimpsed a newspaper. In large print, it proclaimed: "Dark Lord's Prisoners Released After Six-Month Imprisonment!"

Dark Lord's prisoners, Lily thought. James was working for the Ministry… investigating something "funny," he said… Hardly daring to hope, she shoved a Sickle into the newspaper machine and took out the paper. Did James really care for her? Had he been physically unable to write? Crossing her fingers, she grasped the newspaper with trembling hands and read: 

__

"Minnesota: Officials in the Department for Supervision and Repression of the Dark Arts announced today that they have discovered a shelter for Dark wizards outside of Minneapolis. The fortress allegedly contains over five hundred wizards, held in privation similar to the conditions in the infamous British prison of Azkaban.

"Workers from the Department, accompanied by fifty-two Aurors, forced entry into the fortress late last night. Over ninety percent of the invaders lost their lives; those who escaped reported that they had managed to free the prisoners after a relief squad came to replace the casualties."

Lily took a deep breath, trying to control her shaking limbs, hoping beyond hope that James was among the released prisoners. She couldn't Apparate until she controlled her emotions: that had been taught in their first lesson. "Control," she muttered, breathing deeply. "Control." 

Once she had sufficiently stopped herself from giving into the torrent of feelings that was washing over her, Lily clenched her fists around her wand, muttering the spell for Apparation and concentrating as hard as she could on Minneapolis. She wasn't sure that she'd located the city correctly – it had been a long time since her last geography lesson – but knew there was no time to waste. Please, God, let it work, she thought desperately. Let James be there.

Lily must have remembered her geography better than she thought: she appeared in the middle of a large, airy space. Having been there once for an International Charms Convention, the witch recognized it as Gerlett Amphitheater, in Minneapolis. Her footsteps echoed; she was the only person inside the stadium that was built to accommodate thousands. 

A sudden flood of people made her jump. Where had they come from? What were they doing there? Lily felt almost panic-stricken as she looked into their gaunt faces and hollow eyes. The wizards and witches remind her of pictures she'd seen of Holocaust victims: although not as emaciated, they had the sad, faraway looks that had become famous in LIFE magazine. As they spread out, seating themselves in the comfortable chairs that formed what Muggles called "bleachers," Lily scanned the faces. About to give up, assuming that she'd made an Apparation mistake, her olive-colored eyes suddenly locked onto some fog-gray ones. A look of disbelief crossed owner of the eyes' face as Lily's vision traveled downwards. Suddenly, she saw the ghost of a smile, hardly recognizable (like the man himself), but still that charming smile. 

Leaving all discretion behind, Lily ran across the arena, throwing her arms around the man. A brief look of recognition – then a smile – and he was running towards her, they collided in an embrace. "James?" she asked in a whisper. "James Potter?"

"Lily?"

The witch grabbed him again, unaware of the happy tears that were rolling down her face. Perhaps her happiness made her different – she'd never know. "James, I love you," she whispered. "Maybe I always have, but I know I do now, and I didn't want to say anything, but James, I was so worried…"

And then she felt James's thin arms around her, too. "I know, Lily," he whispered.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, in Hogsmeade, they tried to drink Butterbeers and explain at the same time. "James, I sent you this letter, and I – I kind of hinted that I loved you – and then I didn't hear from you for so long, and I thought you were just embarrassed, that you didn't really care about me," Lily explained, taking a deep drink of her Butterbeer. 

"Letter?" James asked, his hollow eyes shining. "I never got that letter. I had to leave right away, and I wasn't allowed to tell anyone – it was a really dangerous assignment."

Lily brushed a tear away. "James, I love you," she exclaimed suddenly. "And I don't care if you love me or not, but I love you, and I wanted you to know."

"I think you've had a little too much Butterbeer," James said kindly, taking her mug and drinking the rest of it.

"Well?" she demanded. "Do you love me or not?"

"Oh, Lily," James replied. "I've loved you ever since that night on the Astronomy tower last year. And when I went away, and nobody inquired after me at the office – well, I thought –"

"We were both wrong," Lily said softly. Standing in the moonlight, the sweet smell of honeysuckle surrounding them once more, she smiled a shaky, joyful smile.

"I don't ever want to lose you again," James replied in the same tone, leaning down and kissing her gently.

* * *

Passers-by stopped to stare at the handsome man and the beautiful woman, like the fairy-tale prince and princess, standing under the stars in the rose garden of Hogsmeade park. The lady's smooth, white hands were clasped in the man's strong ones; they were looking into each other's eyes, and the love in the air was almost tangible. Their faces were shining: they were young and in love, with no idea of the unmerciful destiny laid out before them. They were living for the moment.

Those who gaped had no idea of the longing that the two had experienced: the girl's laid out over nearly fifteen years, the man's over two in a living hell. They had no idea of the fact that these two would change the course of the world. They stood, in blissful ignorance, happy just for a moment because they were finally together.

__

Epilogue: 

Lily Evans and James Potter were married three weeks later. It was an outdoor wedding, just after Lily's twenty-fifth birthday. They stood, under the honeysuckle, with the fragrance floating about them, hands clasped. 

Lily had thousands, billions, of things running through her mind to say: "I've always loved you." "I'll wait for you forever." Even the simple, "I love you." But as she looked into James's shining eyes, suddenly she realized they weren't necessary.

Out of their love, Voldemort was defeated. Out of Lily's undying love -- a love that she showed when she was a fourth-year, a love that she harbored for over ten years, unrequited love if you will, but love (despite being unrequited) that never changed from the moment of its realization, a love that appeared once again when she was thirty, her face older but still holding the joyful look that shone clear when she saw James in America – for James, her undying love for her son, a baby boy defeated the most powerful wizard the world had ever know.

Where would the world be, if not for Lily Potter?

~*Finis*~

**__**

A/N: This grew out of my fitting a boy I have all of my classes with into the role of Sirius, and then, after that, the thing basically wrote itself. More than half of the instances are based off of my own experiences – Diagon Alley, Lily's friendship with Sirius and awkwardness with James, and, of course, the ELECTION. McGonagall is very loosely based off of one of my favorite teachers. The nastiest side of Evelyn comes completely from my own imagination, as is most of Hanneli. If you have any other questions, feel free to e-mail me!

The last sentence – which stupid Microsoft Word says is too long – manifested itself out of my belief that Lily Potter, not Harry, really vanquished Voldemort by dying. Harry just happened to be that love's instrument.

Please review! Flames will do you no good. I wrote this story completely for myself; it was the most enjoyable thing I've ever written. After eight months, I still love it. I made a few (very small) revisions. If you're interested in beta-reading this, or any of my other fanfictions, please contact me. 

Questions, comments, complaints, miscellaneous ramblings? I love getting e-mail. Feel free to get in touch: alanna_wizardgirl@hotmail.com . 

And a great fanfiction site: www.sugarquill.net . Be sure to visit the Good Ship R/H and W.A.I.L.! 

Alanna


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